


Scars

by Candiege2



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2019-08-24 11:25:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 44,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16639070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Candiege2/pseuds/Candiege2
Summary: Waverly and Nicole were best friends in high school, then something happened and Waverly disappeared out of Nicole's life for 10yrs. AU Warning: there is content of child abuse is the form of flashbacks in this story. First attempt at writing, any constructive criticism appreciated. Thanks )





	1. Chapter 1

“RING RING RING”  


Standing in the shower Waverly groans when she hears her phone start ringing. It had been a long week at work, it was finally friday evening and all she was wanting was to take a hot shower in peace. When her phone continue to ring she mumbles “Go away, I don’t want to talk to you” Her phone stops ringing “thank you” she says out loud as if they can hear her.  


“RING RING RING”  


She growls as she sinks deeper into the hot water, closing her eyes, and attempting to ignore the ringing phone. Standing under the hot water trying to relax her tense muscles as the water beats down on her back. When the phone goes quiet again; she prays that whoever is calling her will get the hint and quit calling. She did not have many people in her life that called her, and she was not on call this weekend so it’s not a work emergency deciding it was probably just a spam call she not to worry about it. When her phone remained quiet she sighed, just as her hopes were raising that they had given up her phone starts ringing again.  


“RING RING RING”  


She again tries to continue to ignore it, but now her conscience is telling her that whoever is blowing up her phone may have an emergency. Waverly jumps out of the shower, grabs her towel and runs for the phone not bothering to dry off, she turns the corner and BAM her ass hits the floor.  


“Whoever is blowing up my phone better be on their death-bed.” She says with a growl as she picks herself up off the floor and grabs the phone off the table answering without bothering to check the caller ID.  


“This better be good” she growls into the phone, trying to catch her breath.  


Silence  


“Listen whoever is there better speak up now” she says through gritted teeth.  


“Waverly? Why aren’t you answering your phone and why do you sound out of breath?” the voice on the other end of her phone is her best friend, Rosita, who is now at the top of her shit list.  


“Cause I have a hot date in the shower and you are interrupting!”  


“You have someone in your shower?” Rosita whispers as if someone were here they would be able to hear her.  


“NO Rosie, I’m trying to take a shower. Why are you blowing up my phone?”  


“Oh I wanted to call and tell you about the softball tournament starting tomorrow. A bunch of girls from work are playing and I’m going to watch and cheer.”  


“You are blowing up my phone to tell me this because why?”  


“Well because you should come.”  


Waverly contemplates smashing her head against the wall.  


“You are blowing up my phone to invite me to a softball game, Rosie you could have left a message or sent a text.”  


“Well yea, but then you would have just pretended to not get my message and not come.”  


She smiled losing some of the annoyance she felt when she first answered the phone. Rosie her best friend, was the person who knew her the best and even though she didn’t go out with Rosie much, Rosie never stopped trying to drawl her out. Not wanting Rosie to know that she was touch that she cared that much she kept the annoyance in her voice “Well funny thing is I’m not going anyway.”  


“Why not!” Rosie says in a tone that she recognizes as her stubborn, I’m not taking anything but a yes voice.  


Waverly softly bangs her forehead against the wall a few times, knowing that the only way to get back to her shower is to give Rosie the answer she wants. “fine I will go to the game. What time does it start.” Agreeing to go now knowing that she will call later and make an excuse on why she can’t make it. She jerks the phone away from her ear as Rosie’s high pitch squeal of excitement burst through the phone. “It starts at 4, see you then, love you” Relieved that Rosie ended the call quickly after she agreed to go. She heads back to her shower, drops her towel, and steps into the water without testing it first. “Holy Hell!” She screams and jumps back out. In her haste to answer the phone she forgot to turn the water off so now the water is ice-cold. Her annoyance at Rosie interrupting her shower is back in full force “Yep Rosie is number one on my shit list.” Facing the fact that her nice relaxing shower was not going to happen she went to her bedroom to get dressed she glances at the mirror noticing the scars that cover her torso and back. Scars that she has had for as long as she can remember, tonight in her exhaustion the scars take her by surprise and she is six years old again.  


21 years ago; age 6  
Waverly heard the door open and lies as still as possible. “Waverly” her name being slurred, she does not move, frozen by fear. Hoping that tonight she believes she is asleep. Having watched her Mother start drinking at noon today she knows that if Mother finds out she is awake, the consequences will not be good.  
She hears her footsteps stumble across her bedroom floor; she is glad that she had made sure everything was off the floor before going to bed. Having her trip on a toy left on the floor would always end badly, no matter if she was awake or asleep.  


Mother is now beside her bed, glaring down at her. She steadies her breathing, not moving a muscle, making sure her eyes stay close. Mother kneels down, her face next to the girl lying in bed. “Waverly” she slurs again, her breath blows against Waverly’s face. The smell makes her flitch, “Please don’t let her see that” she prays. Mother growls and Waverly knows she has seen it. The frighten girl’s heart beat starts to increase, she struggles to remain as still as possible even though her tiny body is betraying her as it begins to tremble.  


“You have been a bad girl; you did not fall asleep when I told you to.”  


Waverly doesn’t bother apologizing that just makes it worst. She prepares herself for whatever punishment or as Mother like to call them “game” she has planned.  


“What happens to bad girls” she slurs again.  


Remaining quiet she begins to really tremble hoping her Mother doesn’t notice, if she does the game will be worst.  


“ANSWER ME GIRL” she yells.  


“They get punished” she responds, trying not to let the fear she is feeling reflect in her voice. She has learned that showing fear, pain, or any emotion only makes the games worst. Mother grabs Waverly pulling her out of bed and shaking her as she slurs “That’s right, now it’s time to punish you for being a bad girl” as she pulls out her favorite toy Waverly whimpered. Mother’s favorite toy is a broken broom handle, that she will use to smack Waverly with. Mother sits on Waverly’s bed, laying the stick across her lap, and smiles. Her smile is not a comforting loving smile but an evil smiled filled with hate. “You are going to walk back and forth in front up me until you are tired enough to obey and go to sleep.”  


“Yes ma’am” Waverly starts walking, she walks back and forth in front of Mother three times. As she passes her Mother for the fourth time she starts to think this game isn’t so bad when “Whack” Mother hits her in her back with the stick. The thin pajama shirt that Waverly is wearing does little to protect her from the sting of the stick. Tears begin to fill her eyes and she pleads with them not to fall, knowing that will only fuel Mother more. Waverly stops counting after eight, instead focusing on keeping her legs moving, and holding the tears back. Waverly skin is stinging all over, made worst when Mother makes contact with a tender spot. She can feel where her skin is splitting open, feeling her shirt sticking to her skin. Eventually she no longer feels the stick hitting her skin, she doesn’t know if it’s actually her body that had gone numb or her brain that is blocking the pain to protect her. After about 8 whacks she no longer feels the stick hitting her skin.  


She snaps out of the flashback, shaking her head to clear the images from her mind. She walks into the closet to get dressed with a sigh wondering when the images would no longer sneak up on her. Most days she can go an entire day and not have a flashback until something will happen that will bring them to the surface. The scars on her body a constant reminder of all the games Mother and Waverly use to play.  


She is sitting on her couch with a cup of hot chocolate, staring at the book lying in her lap not yet focusing on the words. Another Friday night spent home alone, with only herself to blame. At twenty-seven, she has not had many relationships ah hell she hasn’t had any “well except one” she says out loud to no one. That ended with her being heartbroken and her trust being broke again.  


Most of her relationships if you can even call them that are one night stands. She would go to popular clubs a couple of hours away from her city lessening the chance of running into them later. Being what she would call short at five feet four inches with average length blonde hair and green eyes she didn’t consider herself pretty, despite that she never had a problem finding someone to go home with for a couple of hours. Someone she picked up from the bar, always going to their place, and gone before they’re awake.  


“Shit I don’t even remember their names”  


When they acquire about the scars, if they happen to see them, which isn’t often due to her either not removing all her clothes or the lights stay off or they are too intoxicated to notice. If they by chance notice she can distract them.  


That game got old, never leaving her satisfied. It wasn’t worth the energy it took. So it’s been a few years since she’s been with anyone.  


Rosita doesn’t know about her past, she would ask a lot. Until on one bad day, she blew up on her telling her to mind her own business. Then she didn’t speak to her for days. Rosie apologized and has never asked again. After that their friendship changed, she is still Waverly’s best friend only now she doesn’t ask her to do things as often. She was surprised when Rosie called to ask her to go to the softball game. Not that she is planning to go.  


After attempting and failing to focus on her book, she gives up and head upstairs to go to bed. Glancing at the clock on the wall it is 8:30 “pathetic.”  


Waverly climbs in bed dressed in her pajamas. She had tried sleeping nude before and spent the night panicking. She doesn’t even try. Just as she is dozing off, she hears her phone beep signaling a text message. She wants to ignore it, but knows her phone will continue to beep until she acknowledges the text. Rolling over she unlocks her phone seeing a text from Rosie.  


“Hi, what are you doing?”  


“Sleeping”  


“It’s 8:30 on a Friday.”  


She rolls her eyes while responding “Thank you Captain Obvious.”  


“Girl you need a social life.”  


Not wanting to get into this conversation, she ignores her statement.  


“Rosie is there something you need?”  


She can picture her best friend fighting the urge to push the fact that her social life is in need of regeneration. “No. I just wanted to say Hi, and that I’m excited to see you tomorrow.” She says to Waverly’s surprise.  


Shit well now is a good time to cancel, just as she is about to respond with her excuse, Rosie sends another text.  


“Don’t even think of cancelling, I haven’t seen you outside of work in weeks, you promised. It won’t kill you to watch a softball game with me.”  


She deletes what she had started to type, she shakes her head as she types out “See you tomorrow.” Along with a smiley face and hit the send button. Well she committed now, she thinks with anything but a smile on her face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Waverly was driving across town, following the direction that her phone was giving her. “I can’t believe I’m going.” She complains out loud. “I don’t even like softball, shit every time I’m around one I get knocked unconscious.” She continues. “I don’t like crowds, heat, or drunken people.” She complains. There are bound to be all three today. Yet she continues to drive, Rosita was correct when she said that they haven’t hung out in weeks. On the rare occasion that Rosie asked her to do something, Waverly would come up with an excuse not to. She misses her friend and doesn’t want to lose her one real friend so she continues to drive.  


“This is going to be a long day.” She mumbles as she pulls into the park. There is already a parking lot full of people. She drives around looking for a spot to park. Five minutes pass and she is about convinced to just leave and use the excuse of no parking when she sees an open spot. “Damn Damn Damn” she smacks the steering wheel with each damn.  


She pulls into the spot, taking a few deep breaths, mentally preparing herself. “Waverly get a grip. Rosie is here, no one will hurt you.” She says giving her a pep talk. She steps out of the car and instantly the heat hits her. “I hope she found a shady spot or I’m out of here.” It is an empty threat; once Rosie spots her there will be no leaving.  


She pops her truck, grabbing her chair and cooler filled with ice and waters. Every other cooler at the park would be filled with alcohol, so she made sure to bring her own. She looks at her text from last night to see what diamond Rosie said they were at. She started walking towards diamond four sending a text to Rosita letting her know she is there. Almost immediately she receives a response Yay sitting under the tree you can’t miss us.  


“Well damn there goes my excuse to leave” she mumbles remembering her empty threat. She gets to diamond four “Great there are trees everywhere”  
“Waverly Waverly”  


She turns and sees Rosie waving at her. She walks towards her meeting her halfway. Rosie takes the cooler from her giving her a hug with the other arm.  


“Thanks” Waverly says.  


“No problem, what did you bring?”  


“Just waters”  


“Of course”  


Rosie links her free arm through hers guiding her towards the spot she’s watching the game from saying “it’s good to see you.”  


“You too, I’ve missed you.”  


“What’s not to miss?”  


Waverly rolls her eyes and begins setting up her chair as Rosie continues “Although you wouldn’t miss me if you didn’t keep saying no to hanging out.”  
“I am sorry I will try to say yes more”  


Rosie looks at her like she wants to say something instead she shakes her head “We are cheering for the gals in the blue jersey’s” she says  


Waverly grabs a bottle of water and sits down to watch the game. She surprised to find that she was having a good time. Listening to Rosie go on and on about her current flame of the month and love of her life. Rosie loves the idea of being in love, but lacks the ability to remain faithful or committed.  


“When are you going to settle down with one of your great loves?” She says while laughing.  


“Oh I don’t know, there are just too many beautiful people in the world”  


She laughs and just shakes her head, knowing that by beautiful people Rosie doesn’t discriminate male or female. “So is this current flame a guy or girl?”  


“Guy.” Rosie responds while undressing the chick on third base with her eyes.  


“For now” She gets out while laughing. Rosie reaches over and slaps her on the arm.  


“So when are you going to start looking for Mr…” she suddenly stops looking at her confused.  


“What?”  


“I just realized that I don’t know if your flame would be a Mr. or Ms.” she says turning in her chair to face her.  


Waverly suddenly became interested in her water bottle. She has never told anyone of her preference, letting people assume what they wanted. All her one-night-stands happened out of town. She decides to give a vague answer “Well there isn’t a flame now.” she mumbles out hoping that Rosie will drop it. Of course she didn’t.  


“I know that, but if there was?”  


She answers partly because she feels guilty for not hanging out more and partly because she knows her friend won’t judge.  


“It would be an Ms.”  


“I knew it! Let’s play I would sleep with her game!”  


“I have to use the restroom first. Where is it at?” Rosie gives her directions while scanning the crowd looking for the perfect match for Waverly.  


Waverly decides to take the long way back to where Rosie is, hoping she forgets about the pick a bed buddy game. As she is walking, she glances at the team on the field, she is walking past and immediately freezes her eyes landing on the tall red head playing shortstop. The shortstop looked just like a person from Waverly’s past. She was tall approximately six feet, had long red hair pulled into a ponytail. It wasn’t so much her height or physical features that froze Waverly, it was her stance, the way she moved her body that was so familiar to the brown eyed woman. That can’t be her she thought to herself “please don’t let it be her” she whispers out loud. As if the shortstop heard Waverly she slowly turns her head, blue eyes locking with brown, both women froze.  


Waverly knew the minute those eyes so blue, so perfect that nothing else on earth could compare that it was her. Completely shocked she never broke eye contact with the short stop everything else vanished. She did not hear the people yelling duck, did not see the softball flying directly at her. She did however feel the ball smack her in the head “Shit” was all she could say before her world went black.  


She felt someone shaking her, a voice from the past saying her name. “No No No this cannot be happening again” She pleaded in her head. Refusing to open her eyes, the memory fills her mind of the first day she saw the girl.

20 years ago: age 7  
Waverly sighed as she watched the group of girls taking the field. She loved to escape to the ball diamonds that were in her neighborhood, see the colorful uniforms, hearing the sound of the bat hitting the ball into the air, the way it smelled of hotdogs and dirt. This was one of her favorite places to come in the summer, away from mother, away from her life. She would sit and watch randomly pick a team that would be her team and she would cheer them on to the end. She had always wanted to play softball, but it would never happen. Mother would never spend money on her when there was alcohol to buy.  


She had been at the diamonds all day and was heading home going to cut take the short cut through the creek so that she wouldn’t be late. The fear of the punishment that would come making her run as she past a field with a game in progress she spotted a girl on the field. She came to such a sudden stop that she nearly tripped over her own feet. The girl was playing shortstop, she was yelling out encouragement to her teammates and Waverly could not take her eyes off the girl. Unsure about why the girl captivated her. The girl couldn’t have been much older than she was even if she was a couple inches taller, she had red hair pulled into a pony tail. Waverly watch as the ball was hit to the girl who quickly scoped it up in her glove and then threw a perfect pass to first base earning her team their second out of the inning. The girl high fived the third base player and then turned and looked at right at her. When their eyes met her world froze she had never seen eyes so blue, somewhere in her brain she recognized the sound of the bat hitting the ball, the red hair girl was yelling something at her but none of her senses seem to work. She remained frozen, until her world went black.  


The first thing she became aware of was the throbbing of her head, quickly followed by the feel of someone shaking her and talking. She quickly opened her eyes and started to panic, there were people standing all around her, she was laying on the ground, she tried to set up, to get away but the pain in her head causing her to be dizzy. “What happened?”  


Someone in the crowd an older lady who was kneeling next to her answered “You were hit pretty hard in the head with the ball, where are your parents you should probably go to the hospital and be checked for a concussion.” Waverly looked at her still confused, as the fog in her brain started to clear the last five minutes started to come back, the ball diamonds, red hair, blue eyes, the sound of the bat, running home to so she wasn’t late. The last thought shocked her out of daze and she jump to her feet startling everyone standing around her. She turned and started to push her way through the crowd “I’m fine, I don’t live far I’ll go tell my mom.” She had just broken free and starting to run when she tripped over something or rather someone. She was again on her back looking up at the sky when a pair of blue eyes matching the sky was suddenly above her looking at her “First you were smacked by a ball and knocked unconscious and then you trip over me. You really should pay more attention.” They red hair girl said with amusement in her voice  


Waverly stood up aware that she really needed to get home “Well thanks, I have to go” dusting herself off and starting to run home.  
“Hey wait!” the blue-eyed girl yelled, running to catch up to her, Waverly continued to run when she heard the girl yell out again “will you wait a minute?” Waverly stopped running but didn’t stop walking allowing the girl to catch up with her “You took a couple good falls let me walk with you, to make sure you make it home.”  


“No that’s okay.” she walks faster not wanting the blue-eyed girl to know where she lived.  


“Well I’m coming anyway. That was a nasty hit you took. My name is Nicole.”  


Waverly continues to walk as if she didn’t hear anything that the girl said, not knowing why this girl made her so nervous nor why she would want to walk with her.  


“Well?” she says bringing her out of her thoughts.  


“Well what?”  


“What’s your name?”  


“Waverly”  


Waverly continue to walk at almost a jog pace not knowing what time it was or if she was late getting home. If she was already late hurrying wouldn’t make a difference the punishment would be the same no matter if she was one minute late or one hour late. She was only hurrying now hoping Nicole would change her mind about following her home. Nicole broke the silence “For being short you sure do move fast, what’s the hurry?” Waverly took a quick glance at the girl again noticing the amused look in her eyes also noticing that with her longer legs she was only having to walk fast to keep up with Waverly’s jog. Waverly slowed down knowing that she wouldn’t be able to out run her “I’m late getting home.” The rest of the walk was in silence when they reach her house; she went inside without ever looking back.

“Waves, Waves” The voice continues, Waverly slowly starts to open her eyes, immediately looking into the bright blue eyes of the girl she hasn’t seen in years. Groaning out loud as the pain in her head makes itself known, she starts to stand up when the world beneath her feet tilts causing her to stumble backwards. Nicole reaches out grabbing her arm to help steady her. Waverly closes her eyes and shakes her head trying to clear the fog of everything that happened in the last two minutes. When she opens her eyes for the second time she’s looking into blue eyes so familiar that her breath caught in her throat. Seeing the confusion in those eyes causes her heart to ache. It takes a few seconds to realize that Nicole was speaking to her “Huh?” she immediately feels like an idiot. When Nicole smiles and looks amused and repeats “We have to stop meeting this way” the shock of seeing the red hair girl fades and the anger and hurt starts to take its place. She jerks her arm out of Nicoles grasp like she had been burnt and turns walking away without saying a word.  


She hears Nicole call out “Hey, Waves wait up!” Waverly continues to walk away when she feels Nicole’s hand on her shoulder “Will you stop for a minute?”  


“No.” Waverly said jerking out of Nicole’s reach and continuing to walk away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole see's Waverly again for the first time in 10 years and it doesn't go how Nicole thought it would.

Nicole has no choice but to let her go, as her team is taking the field and Shae is waving at her like a mad woman. Shae is not only the coach but her closes friend, she waves at Shae letting her know that she will be there. She makes sure she tracks the brunette, so she knows where to find her after the game. When she sees the Waverly sit down next to a pretty brunette. She runs back to the field grabbing her glove from where she dropped it when she ran to help Waverly. Shae is looking at her questioningly and Nicole can only imagine the interrogation that she will receive after the game. Shae will surely ask questions that Nicole herself wish she had answer too.  


Nicole played her worst game ever; distracted by the brunette from her past. Other than her hair which is shorter than she remembers it being Waverly looks just as she did the last time she saw her. Especially her eyes the beautiful green that Nicole knew had yellow specks that reminded her of a beautiful meadow with yellow flowers. She was busy keeping her eye on the brunette making sure she didn’t leave the park before she could talk to her she missed every fly ball that came her way. Shae was yelling at her from the dugout to get her head in the game. When she let the third grounder to come her way pass by her she thought that Shae might actually come out on the field and beat her with a softball bat. The other team called a time out so they could switch out pitchers, while the pitcher was warming up Nicole’s couldn’t help but search for Waverly. She found her in the same spot laughing with the brunette so many questions running through her head. She was so lost in the sight of her childhood friend that she never heard the game resume, didn’t hear the ball being hit, and didn’t realize that she missed the catching the easy pop up until it was too late. Shae shouted “timeout” from the dugout and then set out her teammate to replace her. She ran back to the dugout embarrassed “sorry Shae I don’t know where my head is today.” Which was a lie she knew right where it was but didn’t want to have to explain it to Shae. Shae gave her a look that told her that she saw through the lie but didn’t question it. Nicole noticed that Waverly and the girl she was with were starting to collect their things, she let Shae know that she needs to take care of something and ran out of the dugout.  


She had just reached the two girls overhearing their conversation “Admit it you had fun today.” the dark-haired girl was saying. “No” Waverly replied with a slight smile.  


“Oh come on; just say it once I had fun today. I promise I won’t tell anyone.” She said in a whisper  


“Fine.” She looked around dramatically, not seeing Nicole standing behind her and whispered “I had fun today.”  


“O.M.G! Call the presses, Waverly had fun day!” The dark hair girl yelled for everyone around them to hear. Waverly smacked her arm laughing “So much for keeping your promises.” The dark hair girl was about to respond when Nicole could no longer hide her curiosity “Does she not have fun often?” Rosita noticed that Waverly froze her bright green eyes turning dark and the playful smile she had two seconds ago gone. The dark hair girl stepped between Waverly and Nicole in a protective way “Who are you?”  


Nicole was lost in the green eyes that had haunted her past she never heard Rosita talk. So many times she had played this scenario out in her head, seeing Waverly for the first time after all these years. In her head she always ask out why did you leave, but know what came out was “you’re alive.” Seeing Waverly alive in the flesh and knowing that she was indeed alive released emotions that Nicole didn’t realize she had been shoving down. The urge to hug Waverly was overwhelming and she started to step towards her when she finally realized the hate she saw in the brunette’s eyes and Rosita standing in front of her. The dark haired woman cleared her throat Nicole finally looked at the woman standing in-between her and Waverly. Noticing her protective stance Nicole wondered at the relationship between the two women she shook her head trying to clear it, sticking out her hand she said “I’m Nicole, Nicole Haught a childhood friend of Waverly’s.”  


Rosita shook her hand curious of the history between the tall red hair woman and her friend, who hadn’t moved a muscle since Nicole first spoke “I’m Rosita, a current friend of Waverly’s.” Nicole was about to respond when Waverly found her voice “You are anything but a friend!” she snaps. Turning to Rosita “Thank you, I had fun today I’ll text you later” gathering her stuff and heads towards her car.  


Nicole steps around Rosita giving a quick nice to meet you, as she follows the brunette. Waverly pops her trunk and is throwing her belonging in when she reaches her. “You are still incredibly quick for being short” Nicole jokes trying to lighten the mood. Waverly ignores her as she continues to load her things into the trunk. “Waverly can we talk for a minute” Waverly finally stops and looks at her. Nicole had always been able to read Waverly feelings when looking into her eyes and it pleased her to see that, that hadn’t changed. Although what she saw only confused her more, there was so much anger and it was directed at her. “Please” she said softly. “No” was all the green eyed girl said before going back to arranging her truck so it would close. Nicole goes to stand next to the driver side door. When Waverly shuts the trunk she sees her “Move.”  


“Not until you talk to me for a minute.”  


“Move now.”  


“No”  


They stand there staring at each other one with anger in her eyes, the other with confusion. “I’m not moving until you talk to me”  


“What do you want?”  


“What do I want? I want to know how you’ve been. I want to know why you disappeared when we were younger. I want to know why you never tried to contact me.” she took a step towards Waverly stopping herself just before she reached out to take her hand.  


The brunette took a step back “I’ve been good, I had my reasons, and I had no reason to contact you. Now move!” She pushes past her and gets in the car. Nicole is standing there shocked watching as the girl from her past, the girl who meant the world to her drives away.  


“What the hell was that?” Someone says from behind her. She turns around to see the girl who Waverly was with glaring at her. “I’m not sure” she answers, not knowing why Waverly reacted the way she did to seeing her.  


Rosita and Nicole stand there staring at each other, neither quite sure what to say when a horn shakes them out of their personal thoughts. “You said you were a childhood friend of Waverly’s, telling from Waverly’s reaction to seeing you I’m guessing it didn’t end on good terms.”  


“I’m not sure how or why it ended at all.” she responds barely loud enough for Rosita to hear. Just then her phone rings, she glances at the caller ID “Excuse me this is my new boss, I have to take this.”  


“Nicole Haught is speaking.” she answers the phone as she watches Rosita head back to the spot where her belonging are. Nicole is barely listening to her boss on the other end lost in her thoughts and not wanting to lose track of Rosita “You will be shadowing my best case worker Waverly Earp”  


“Wait what!” She yells into the phone, sure that she has mistaken her boss.  


Her boss pauses “Which part, the coming in next week to finish paperwork, or the following my best case worker”  


“The part about the case worker, did you say Waverly Earp?”  


“Yes. She is the best. She tends to work late so next week when you come in to finish up your paperwork you will get the chance to meet her.”  


“Does she know that I will be shadowing her?” she asked, already knowing the answer.  


“Umm, well no. She won’t be happy about it as she likes to work alone. She is the best however and I would like you trained by the best. I will wait until right before you start to let her know. No worries though she will be nothing but professional with you. Well see you next week.”  


She says good-bye, hanging up her phone “I doubt she will be anything but professional” she mumbles as she heads towards Rosita. More determined than ever to get Waverly’s number no way is she walking into that office without giving her a heads up.  


Nicole had to beg Rosita for Waverly’s phone number. Rosita gave it to her mumbling something about “Waverly’s never going to talk to me again and if you hurt her I will kill you.”  


“Thank you.” When Nicole got in her car she leans back in the seat, closing her eyes, and picturing the green eyed woman as the seven year old girl who she first talked to sitting on the tree in the creek.

20 years ago: age 7  
Nicole was walking home from softball practice, taking a shortcut through the creek. She was thinking about the green eye girl. She had noticed the girl hanging out at the ball diamonds, watching, cheering, and always running off towards the creek. When she walked Waverly home she was surprised to realize how close to her house she lived. They just lived on the same street just opposites sides of the creek. There was something about Waverly made her want to protect her. Maybe it was the sadness she saw when she looked into the girl’s eyes. She had been worried about her when she didn’t see her at the game yesterday, she was hoping to talk to her again. So lost in her thoughts Nicole almost didn’t see the green eyed girl who had consumed her thoughts sitting on the log that stretch across the creek bay high above the ground. She stopped and starred at the girl who had her back turned to Nicole. She had long brunette hair that stretched half way down her back, she was a small girl but Nicole had a feeling they were close to the same age even though she stood a few inches taller than Waverly. Noticing the shaking of her shoulders and the hunched over way she sat Nicole suspected the girl was crying. She kicked some rocks not wanting to startle the girl but did anyways. Waverly jumped almost falling off the log. She looked at Nicole eyes full of fear and tears, seeing who it was she quickly turned and wiped her face with her sleeve.  
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you” she said  


Waverly didn’t respond, she continued to sit on the log with her back to her. Nicole wasn’t sure what to do, she wanted to talk to the girl, be friends, there weren’t many girls in the neighborhood her age and she had a feeling that Waverly could use a friend. When she saw Waverly wipe her face again she decided to stay “Waverly?” she said softly.  


“Yes” Waverly tried to hide the fact that she was crying.  


“Are you okay?”  


“Yes” she whispered.  


Nicole climbs up the tree and sits down next to her. The girl turns so that she cannot see her face. Nicole doesn’t say a word, she just sits there quietly, after a while she hears the silent sobs that Waverly tries to hide. Nicole has the sudden urge to protect and comfort the girl; slowly she slides next to Waverly putting her arm around her waist. Not knowing what to do, she just sits there rubbing small circles on Waverly’s back hoping to calm and comfort the small girl. After about ten minutes the brunette’s tears slow down and then stop. When the girl acts like she is going to jump down and leave Nicole starts talking not wanting her to go. She rabbles on talking about everything from softball to school. The whole time Nicole talks Waverly never once turns to look at her, Nicole wanting to see the girls green eyes finally asks “Why won’t you look at me? Do you not want to be my friend?”  


Waverly replies softly “I want to be your friend” but doesn’t move to look at her. Nicole reaches over and slowly turns her face to face her. Nicole tried to hide the shock of seeing the bruise that is forming around Waverly’s eye as well as the cut on her lower left lip. Seeing the shame that crossed Waverly’s face she knew she didn’t hide the shock well. “Waverly what happened?” She whispered.  


She just looks at her for a long moment, her green eyes filling with tears when quietly she says “Can you keep a secret?” Nicole nods her head yes, so she continues “I was punished.”  


“Punished? For what? From who?” she says confused.  


“I don’t know, Mother.” The brunette says, fresh tears slowly sliding down her cheeks.

The sound of a car horn brought her out of the memory. She smiles thinking how that day was the day she found her best friend. She was only eleven days older than Waverly. If you compared their size Nicole seemed years older being a good three inches taller but in life experiences Waverly had her beat by decades even at the age of seven. They would sit on that log and talk about everything well mostly Nicole talked and Waverly just listened some days the brunette would have a new bruise or be sore. Nicole wanting nothing more than for Waverly to be safe would ask the green eyed girl if she could tell her mom about the punishments. Knowing that her mother would do everything she could to help Waverly. The green eyed girl was too afraid to tell would make Nicole promise not to tell, the blue eyed girl didn’t want to lose her friend so she kept her promise and didn’t tell.  


She picked up her phone hoping that Waverly would answer her call, but knowing that she wouldn’t, Nicole dials the brunette’s number. After four rings it when to voicemail, where she left a message  


“Hello Waverly, This is Nicole I’m not sure why you are angry at me. Please call me back; I need to talk to you.” She hangs up the phone, hoping that she would return her call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any feedback would be helpful. Thank you.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been a little over a week since Waverly ran into Nicole. She was curious as to why Nicole was in town. Waverly was embarrassed to admit but she had once looked Nicole up curious to see where the girl who was her world had ended up in life. They had both lived in this state when they were kids, in a small every day American neighbor in Indiana. Last time Waverly had looked up the red hair girl she found that she was living in Cleveland. She suspected that Nicole was in town visiting her parents, thinking of Nicole’s parents especially her mother brought a small smile to Waverly face. How many times did she wish that Mrs. Haught had been her mother, Waverly closed her eyes as the clock on the wall chime signaling eight o’clock as the last chime sounded the phone rang. Every night at exactly eight o’clock the blue-eyed girl called. Waverly never answered the phone just letting the call go to voicemail where she would always leave a message, which she would then delete without listening to. However, tonight as her phone buzz signaling the voicemail that Nicole had left she picked up her phone and not listening to the voice in her head she hit play.  


The pleading voice almost sounded desperate “Please Waves talk to me. I’ve missed you and have thought about you daily since you disappeared ten years ago. I also have something I need to talk to you about. Please call me back.” There was a moment of silence where Waverly thought the voicemail had ended and then she heard a whispered “Please Waves.” The broke way Nicole’s voice cracked tugged at Waverly’s heart. “Why did I listen to that damn message?” she says out loud to herself. She couldn’t get the sound of the red hair girl’s voice out of her head nor could she ignore the way hearing her nickname said again had an effect on her. Nicole was the only one who had ever called her Waves while they were kids after Nicole betrayed her, she corrected anyone who tried to shorten her name. It had been a long time since she had felt this emotionally drained. Waverly decided to go to bed before she did something stupid like call Nicole back which no matter what her heart was telling her she did not want to do. She walked into her room and went through the motions of preparing for bed. She laid there staring at the ceiling only seeing Nicole. She tossed and turned all night long, causing her to oversleep, and now she was running late to work. Never had anyone called Waverly a morning person, she tended to be more of a night owl. Her normal morning routine was to wake up with just enough time to get ready, make coffee and drive to work. She was a two cup of coffee person so she would finish her first cup by the time she parked at work then would buy her second cup from Shorty’s the coffee shop attached to her building. Then arriving at work one minute before she was supposed to be there. This morning however she was driving faster than normal due to having over slept. All night she tossed and turned not able to get the blue-eyed woman out of her thoughts  


She works for the Department of Child Services. If she can save one child from going through what she did then maybe her past would have meaning. She had an advantage over her co-workers, she knew what to say and not say to kids who are abused. The kids migrated towards her, maybe they recognized the ghost in her eyes, knew that she was one of them. She pulls into the parking lot, looking for a place to park. After parking she grabbed her bag looking at her watch she was already a half an hour late for work. Looking at the coffee shop, she debated whether to get her second cup of coffee or not. After a few second she said “Fuck it I need my coffee, boss man won’t care anyway” she quickly got out of the car and headed into the Shorty’s. She normally stayed late at work, most often being the last one to leave for the day so she knew her boss Xavier Dolls wouldn’t mind that she was late. Waverly finally made it to work the coffee shop was busier than she thought it would be making her over an hour late but as she sipped the hot beverage she knew it was worth it. Waverly sat at her desk, hitting the power button on her computer. As she waited for her computer to boot up her mind wondered back to Nicole, deciding that she had spent enough time thinking about the red hair woman she shook her head and started going over her schedule for the week instead.  


Waverly was lost in thought when Rosita suddenly popped up from the other side of the cubicle wall “So who is Nicole?” she pipes out loudly, startling the brunette from her thoughts causing her to almost knock her coffee off her desk. She caught her cup then glaring up at Rosita “Geez Rosie, you’re like a pop-up book from hell.”  


“Oh someone has jokes, who is Nicole?”  


“Welcome back from vacation Rosie.” She ignores her question having been able to avoid them all week due to her friend being on vacation.  


“I know you have ignored my calls and texts, you are not going to avoid my question now.”  


“I’ve been ignoring your calls and texts because I don’t want to answer the twenty questions that you are going to ask. Speaking of calls and text, please do not give my phone number out to people without asking me first.”  


Rosita has a guilty expression “Waverly I’m sorry, she just looked so desperate. So who is she?”  


She doesn’t respond, instead she attempts to look busy by typing away at her computer. Rosie cannot see the screen, otherwise she would see Go Away Rosie typed over and over. Just when Rosie is about to say something her phone rings “Saved by the bell” Waverly cheers in her head.  


Rosie gives her a look that says she’s not free yet than answers her phone. Waverly is thankful that at least for now she is free. She starts typing her report from a case that closed. The child reunified with her mother, she hopes that the mother can stay strong and not let the guy back into the home. Not paying attention to the time she’s surprised when she hears her friend announce “Lunchtime” as she bounces over to her cubicle “Let’s go.”  


“Go where.” Waverly doesn’t turn to look at her friend she silently prays that the phone will ring, Dolls will need her, hell even the floor opening up and sucking her in would be a better option than going to lunch with Rosie and facing the firing squad of questions her friend has.  


“Waverly Earp you are going to lunch with me and you are going to tell me who Nicole is!”  


“Why am I friends with you”  


“Because I don’t give you a choice and you love me.” She says as she links arms with her and leads them towards the elevator.  


Waverly gives Rosita credit she waited until their food arrived before drilling her with questions “So?”  


“So what?”  


“Come on Waverly, who is Nicole?”  


She takes a huge bite of her sandwich stalling, she hadn’t decided how much or what to say to her questions. She knows that Rosita will not be happy until she gets a good answer. Waverly puts her sandwich down “Nicole was my best friend; we met when we were seven. For ten years we were inseparable. The end of junior year some rumors started going around school about me, I found out that she was the one that had started them. I transferred schools and never spoke to her again.” That was true for the most part, she left out the minor detail that she didn’t transfer schools; she ran away from home. Waverly also down played her relationship with the red hair girl. It was true that they were best friends, but they were so much more than that. They weren’t lovers in the physical sense, but were in every way lovers emotionally. Giving her friend those details would just bring another round of questions that she was not ready to answer.  


Rosita could see the sadness in her friend’s eyes so she chose not to push for details. Shocked that she had said as much as she did, knowing that the brunette was not one for details about her personal life. Just then Rosita’s work phone began ringing, she looked at the caller ID “Sorry Waverly this is a foster parent that is having problems with one of the kids, I have to take this call.”  


“Hey I know how that goes, I’ll be here take your time.”  


Rosita gets up and walks outside to take the call; she is left there with her thoughts going to red hair girl.

13 years ago; age 14  
Waverly is watching Nicole storm around her room ranting about her mother taking her Nintendo away due to her getting a C in math. She is having a hard time focusing on the girl’s words for some reason. Waverly found herself being fascinated by her lips; the room got quiet, which pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to see the bright blue eyes that she loved looking at her “Waves are you listening to me?”  


“Uh yea, of course you’re right it’s not fair and a C is still passing.” Hoping she said the right thing having not heard what Nicole was saying in the last few minutes.  


The other girl just smiled at her “that conversation was ten minutes ago. I was asking if you were going to go to the freshman dance at school.”  


“Oh uh no.” She started tracing the pattern of the quilt on Nicole’s bed not looking at her. Nicole knew why the brunette wasn’t going to go to the dance; her Mother would never buy her a dress. “I have a dress you can wear.” She wanted her to go.  


“No thanks, I don’t want to go.” Waverly was not popular at school and had no desire to go to a dance and be reminded of that. Being a loner with second hand clothes did not attract many friends. Nicole however was well liked being the captain of the junior varsity softball team everyone knew her. They went to the same school, but rode different busses until Nicole overheard rumors of Waverly being bullied. About a month after starting their freshman year Waverly was having some trouble with a few girls at school, who also rode the same bus. Nicole started riding Waverly’s bus to school and made it very clear that anyone who messed with the green-eyed brunette would have to answer to her.  


Nicole saw the look of pain in Waverly’s eyes and went to her she grabbed the brunette’s hand to hold it. Waverly was very aware of how Nicole’s hand felt in hers, the warmth that soaked through her skin and spread quickly throughout her body. Holding hands with her was nothing new to Waverly; they have held hands whenever they were alone since the first summer they met. Only now whenever Nicole held her hand her entire body broke out in goose bumps. It was a simple way that Nicole would comfort her after one of Mother’s punishments, but here lately she noticed that the red hair girl would take her hand anytime they were close and alone even if Waverly wasn’t upset. While watching TV, while riding in the backseat of her mom’s car, and for the past couple of months every morning when she would wake up they would be holding hands. She also started to become aware of the feelings in her stomach when they touched, and now this fascination with her lips.  


“Waverly?” her name said softly  


She looked from Nicole’s lips to her eyes, blushing when she realized that she was caught staring at her mouth. The look in the other girl’s eyes was anything but teasing; they just sat there holding hands, staring into each other eyes. Waverly’s eyes opened wide when the red hair girl looked at her lips and then start to lean in “she going to kiss me” she thought to herself.  


“Nic” was all she said softly closing her eyes. When Nicole’s lips touched her it was like nothing she had felt before, butterflies were released in her stomach and she swore they were going to find a way out. The kiss was shy and soft, one simple kiss.  


When the kiss ended both girls opened their eyes, waiting to see what the other was going to do. They sat there for what seemed like forever when Nicole was able to find her voice first “was that okay, are we okay?”  


Waverly thought for a moment before replying “yes, but.” She hesitated not sure how to say what she was thinking.  


“But what?”  


“But, I want to do it again.”  


Waverly saw the look of relief that crossed the other girls face as she said “so do I” while leaning in to kiss her again.  


This time the kiss started out shy, but when Waverly felt Nicole’s hand on her face caressing her face all fear left. She deepened the kiss pulling the red hair girl closer to her. That night the kisses they shared remained shy.

Rosita walks back into the restaurant and sees Waverly sitting at the table with a soft smile on her face. She can tell her friend is lost in her thoughts by the unfocused look in her eyes but what amazes her is the smile. She has never seen Waverly smile like that, looking truly happy. She doesn’t know the specific of her friends past but seeing the same haunted look in Waverly face that she sees in every kid she removes from an abusive situation she knows it wasn’t good. She walks up to Waverly and softly says “Earth to Waverly” so not to startle her friend.  


“Huh, what?”  


“Where did you go?”  


“Nowhere.”  


Uh huh what were you thinking about?”  


“Nothing, why?” she looked anywhere but at her friend worried that Rosita would read her thoughts.  


“I have never seen you smile that way before, anyway I have to run the foster parent had to call the police due to the child being violent. We will talk later.” Rosita said while they paid their tab and headed for the door. Rosita grabs Waverly into a tight hug, feeling her friend tense up at the physical contact “Whatever you were thinking about keeping thinking about it. That smile looks good on you.” Waverly just laughs and shrugs her away “Don’t you have work or something to do.” Rosie laughs as she turns to walk towards the parking lot. Waverly returned to work, making an effort to not think of the red hair girl. Which she found with great frustration easier said than done.  


She was wrapping up her work for the day; as usual she was the last one at the office besides her boss Dolls. She shut down her computer when he called out to her “Waverly can you step into my office for a minute?” She sighed as she stood to walk to his office thinking she was about to receive another lecture about staying at work so late.  


“Hey boss, what’s up?” She says as she makes herself comfortable on the couch in his office. He is sifting through the piles of reports on his desk without looking up “we have a new case worker starting tomorrow.”  


“Okay so what does this have to do with me?”  


He holds up a file hiding behind it “I want her to shadow you for a few weeks.” He says in a rush.  


She glares at him “You know I prefer to work alone. Not to mention I’m overwhelmed with my cases, I don’t have time showing a rookie how things are done.”  


He glances at her from over the file folder “she’s not a rookie, she’s a transfer from a different state. I just want you to show her our procedures, she will know the rest.”  


“That’s even worse; trying to teach someone something when they already have their own ways. Haven’t you heard the phrase can’t teach an old dog, new tricks? Have her follow Rosita, she is good.”  


“Yes she is, but you are our best. I would like for her to learn from the best.” He puts the file down and looks her in the eyes.  


“I don’t have a choice do I?”  


“No, I’m sorry you don’t and she is coming soon to finish filling out paperwork so you will get to introduce yourself.”  


As if on cue the elevator dings, Waverly and Dolls get up to meet the person arriving. She looks up just as Nicole is stepping into the office. Dolls oblivious to the tension between the women begins the introductions “Waverly Earp this is Nicole Haught.”  


“Oh hell no.” Waverly interrupts as she shoves past the red hair woman. Nicole turns to follow her leaving Dolls standing alone and confused in his office. Waverly grabs her bag and heads towards the elevator, slamming the elevator button.  


“Waverly, hang on a second.”  


She ignores her slamming the button again.  


“Waves” she begins to say “Don’t call me that.” The brunette interrupts through clenched teeth as the elevator opens. She storms inside with Nicole following her and Dolls lost as to why the two women are reacting the way they are. She holds the door open “Get out”  


“No, not until you talk to me.”  


Waverly is still holding the elevator door “Did you know that I worked here?”  


“No, not at first.”  


“When did you find out?”  


“The day of the softball game, Dolls called to arrange a day for me to finish up paperwork and let me know that I would be shadowing his best case worker Waverly Earp.”  


“You didn’t think to say something?” She almost shouted at the red hair girl her anger growing at the thought of Nicole keeping this from her.  
Nicole’s own frustration growing she respond “I tried to tell you, why do you think I left so many messages about needing to talk to you about something, I was trying to give you a heads up.” She barely kept her voice from raising.  


Waverly walked off the elevator and back into Dolls’s office, he was still standing in the same spot that he was when she stormed out “Have her shadow someone else.”  


He snapped out of his confusion “So I take it you two know each other”  


“Yes, so have her shadow Rosita.”  


He shakes his head, “She will be following you.”  


She glares at Nicole “Fine, don’t be late and don’t plan on talking about anything that is not work related.” She growls as she storms out of the office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment and let me know how I'm doing. Thanks for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to leave me feedback, ways to improve the story or my writing. Thank you.

Nicole walked into her apartment, she was planning on getting some unpacking done when she got home, but after her run in with the small brunette she was exhausted. So instead she showered and got ready for bed, the unpacking will have to wait till later.  


She was climbing in bed thinking about Waverly which has been the only thing on her mind since running into the brunette at the ball diamonds. Confused about why the she was so angry at her as she has done many times over the last ten years, she thinks back to the last time she had seen her.

10 years ago; age 17  
Nicole emptied the remaining contents of her locker into her book bag, it was the last day of school, she was a senior and she was looking forward to summer. She smiled as thoughts of her best friend entered her mind; they were more than best friends. To the world they were best friends, when they were alone, they were well Nicole didn’t quite know what they were.  


Nicole thought back to the night before, Waverly had spent the night just like almost every night for the last few years. She would sneak into her window at night after her parents were asleep, sometimes she would be so sore from a punishment that her mother felt that she deserved that she could hardly lift herself through the window. She would lie down on the bed not saying a word; the tall red head would just lie next to her, holding her until she cried herself to sleep.  


Waverly would always wake up and sneak back out the window before her parents were awake in the morning. About four years ago during breakfast her mom was looking at her “What mom?”  


“Tell Waverly to use the door when she comes over.”  


She stared at her mom “huh, what do you mean.”  


“Nicole I know that girl has been sneaking in and out of your window for years now. I also know that she doesn’t have a good home life. Is there anything you want to talk about?”  


She stares at her mom wishing she could tell, wishing she could help her friend get away from her mother, to stop the pain that she has to go through as much as she wanted to tell her mom she had promised her that she wouldn’t tell “No mom, she just doesn’t have very good parents. Thanks for letting her stay.”  


“She is always welcome here Nicole, makes sure she knows that.” Her mom hugs her placing a kiss on her head “If you ever need to talk, I’m here.” After that morning Waverly has spent most nights at her house always using the front door.  


Nicole grabs her bag heading to the parking lot looking forward to meeting the brunette and starting their summer. She knows that summer is not Waverly’s favorite time, school is an escape for the brunette it’s a break from the games her mother likes to play. This summer however was going to be different, her mom told her this morning that it would be okay for Waverly to stay at their house this summer. That she didn’t have to sneak out each morning. Nicole made it to the parking lot walking to her car looking for the other girl they were going to meet at the car. Surprised to find that Waverly wasn’t there yet Nicole scanned the parking lot and saw the short girl walking her way; she started to smile and walk to meet her.  


Her smile faded when she saw the look on Waverly face the only way she could describe it was hurt and anger “What’s wrong Waves.” To her surprise Waverly didn’t even look at her just walked right past her like she wasn’t there. She turned to follow her “Hey Waves” she reached out and grabbed the brunette’s hand. Waverly jerked her hand away and spun to face her “Don’t touch me.” shocked to see the hate in her eyes.  
“Waverly what is going on?”  


“How could you? I thought I could trust you, I thought you cared about me!?  


She just stared at Waverly trying for to figure out what the brunette was talking about “I do care about you more than you know; I don’t understand what is wrong.”  


“Don’t try to pretend you didn’t say anything, how else would she had known about my punishments, about us?”  


“What? Who? She is able to say. Not having any clue what she is talking about. Just then Waverly’s sister Wynonna drives by the brunette waves him down “Hey give me a ride home.” She just nods her head as she climbs in “Hey Waves, wait.” Nicole reaches out for her again.  


The brunette climbs in the car glaring at her “Goodbye Nicole” she turns to Wynonna “Let’s go.”  


Nicole stands there watching the car leave the parking lot. “What the hell just happened?” She turns and heads to her car planning on going to her as soon as she can to find out what is going on.  


Three hours later she is able to go to Waverly’s, not able to leave sooner due to her baby sister and her mom arriving home later than planned from work. As soon as her mom was in the door she runs out yelling “Going to Waverly’s.” Nicole took the shortcut through the creek to get to Waverly’s house. She knocks on the door and when Wynonna answers she says in a rush “Is Waverly home?”  


“I don’t think she wants to talk to you.”  


She pushes past Wynonna “I don’t care; I need to talk to her.”  


“Whatever.” she says as she shuts the door.  


She goes straight to Waverly’s bedroom, she knocks on the door. When she doesn’t get an answer she says through the door “Waves it’s me.” Still no answer, she slowly turns the door knob and pushes the door open. Waverly’s room is small and clean compared to the rest of the house. She notices right away that the brunette is not in her room, she walks in looking around when she notices that Waverly dresser drawers are open and most of her clothes are gone and her bedroom window is open. She looks at Waverly’s bed and sees a folded piece of paper on her pillow, she picks it up and reads it her heart breaking and tears coming to her eyes. The note is one simple sentence:  


I won’t be back. –Waverly

That was the last day that she had seen Waverly and to this day she is just as confused about why the other girl was so angry at her, why she disappeared and never contacted her, and why she was still angry.  


“What the hell happened?” she says out loud before closing her eyes to sleep not wanting to be late tomorrow.  


Nicole is awake, showered, dressed, and out of the house in record time arriving to work an hour early drinking her coffee savoring the smell and taste as the elevator took her up to the office. She wanted to arrive to work early hoping to be there before Waverly even though she wasn’t sure why. When the elevator opened she walked off heading towards Waverly cubicle preparing to face her. She rounded the corner and slammed right into someone spilling her coffee down the front of both of them.  


“Hot!” Both Nicole and the person she ran into said at the same time, pulling their shirts away from their skin. She looked down and saw the brunette looking back at her with an amused look on her face “Well you always did like to make an entrance.”  


“Waverly, I’m so sorry” she begins to apologize when Waverly holds up her hand stopping her. “It’s no big deal; I have an extra shirt in my desk, I have one that will fit you as well.” She turns to walk back to her desk, “For future reference I prefer my coffee with a little cream and one sugar but more importantly I prefer it in a cup.” Opening the drawer revealing a dozen or so shirts. She finds a shirt that will fit Nicole and throws it to her. Nicole catches the shirt raising an eyebrow thinking that Waverly coffee preference has not change in ten years, she thought about commenting to the fact that she knows exactly how Waverly likes her coffee but decides it’s better to not bring up the past “Do you always keep clothes in your desk?” she says instead.  


“Never know when you are going to need a new shirt, baby spits up, kid throws up, tears, or people coming around corners spilling coffee on you.” She starts to apologize again when Waverly walks past her “Follow me to the bathroom so we can change.”  


They had been working for three hours when Dolls stops by to see how things are going “How are you guys doing?” Waverly answers without taking her eyes off the computer “We’re fine.” Nicole gives him a nod, he watches for a few seconds “Nicole I have a couple more forms that Human Resources needs you to sign, when you get a minute stop by my office.”  


“No problem.” She goes back to watching Waverly wondering if they are going to talk and stop acting like co-workers who just met. So far Waverly has been nothing but professional with her steering clear of anything personal.  


At lunch time Nicole stands and stretches “Lunchtime, want to go get something to eat.”  


“No” She says without stopping from typing the report she was writing.  


“Want me to bring you something back.”  


“No”  


“Do you plan on eating?”  


“I brought my lunch from home today.”  


Nicole decided to sit outside for lunch enjoying the breeze and sunlight, her morning with Waverly has been different than she thought it would be. Waverly has been nice for the most part, answering questions that she may have about the job, explaining things, and even joking. She had tried a couple of times to bring up the subject of her disappearing when they were teenagers, the brunette would get a guarded look, close up, and ignore her so she just stopped bringing it up for now.  


She was just getting off the elevator when Waverly was rushing toward the elevator bag in hand. “What’s going on?”  


“A domestic violence was called in by the police. They are there making the arrest, and called us due to there being a minor. I don’t have much information other than it’s a one year old. Want to ride along?”  


“Definitely let me grab my bag real quick.” She hurried off while Waverly held the elevator waiting for her.  


The drive across town was a silent one when they arrived at the address she looked at Waverly “I’ll just let you take the lead.”  


Waverly just nodded, taking a deep breath and getting out of the car, she followed. Waverly found the officer who appeared to be in control and introduced herself “Hello, I’m Ms. Earp and this is Ms. Haught we are from Department of Child Services.”  


The officer looked relieved “Hello, follow me.” He led the women into the house, entering the house took her breath, the house was filthy, beer cans and trash everywhere it smelled of booze and stale cigarettes. The sound of a baby crying was coming from the back of the house, when they entered the bedroom there was an officer trying to comfort the baby who was screaming and thrashing around. Waverly looked at her handing her the car keys “Will you go out to the car and in the trunk is a bunch of stuffed bears. Will you bring me one?” she nodded and took the keys exiting the house; she grabbed a brown bear returning to the bedroom.  


The brunette took the bear and walked towards the baby talking to him “Hello Ryan I’m Waverly would you like a bear?” They baby looked at her and then at the bear reaching out his chubby hand to grab the bear. She continued to talk to him “You are okay buddy” Nicole stood there amazed when Ryan reached out and went to Waverly laying his head on her shoulder, holding his bear tight, and closed his eyes falling asleep. She just continued to talk to him and rock back and forth.  


It was past five when the two women made it back to the office, Ryan was in a foster home, his parents were in jail, and Waverly was able to get all the detail she was going to get at this time. It would be a long and lengthy process before Ryan would be reunified with his parents both drugs and alcohol was involved.  


Nicole was busy collecting her things off of Waverly’s desk when she looked up to find the brunette staring at her. She recognized the pain and sadness in her blue eyes, Nicole stood there looking back at her debating on whether to take the woman in her arms and hold her like she would when they were kids and Waverly had that look in her eyes. Just as she was about to take a step forward the brunette shook her head coming out of whatever thought she had been in and began to log on to her computer “Waves it’s after five it’s time to go home.”  


“Please don’t call me that. You can go I just want to finish up on a few things first.” she sat down at her desk not looking back at her.  


She stood there for a second not sure if she should stay or go; she was to shadow Waverly if she was staying than she thought she better stay too. Just as she was about to put her bag down Waverly spoke up “Nicole you can go home, I always work late, you don’t have to stay” never once looking at her. She stood there another few seconds “Good-bye Waves, See you tomorrow.” All she said in return was “don’t call me that please.” Nicole just walked elevator, wondering if she was ever going to tell her what she did to make the brunette hate her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Just a reminder this story deals with child abuse. 
> 
> Also any feedback you could provide would be helpful. Thank you.

It was after eight when Waverly walked through her front door wanting nothing more than something to eat and a hot shower. She walked into the kitchen and popped a freezer meal into the microwave. She leaned against the counter rubbing her forehead all cases were tough but today was draining. There were to many similarities to her childhood a drunken mom yelling and cussing, the smell of the house, and Nicole. She had no idea that having her there would affect her as much as it did. She had always been her safe place when things were bad she would run to Nicole’s. Even at a young age, she always seemed to know what she needed, whether it was someone to just listen as she talked, a shoulder to cry on, or just being there not talking not touching. Even today ten years later she wanted to lean on the taller woman to feel her unconditional support, she just couldn’t get past the hurt and betrayal. The mixed emotions she was battling all day had drained her.

16 years ago; age 10  
She hid in the basement rubbing her sore muscles refusing to let the tears fall that were pooling in her eyes; Mother had spent the last 15 minutes kicking and stomping her while she lay on the floor. It was the middle of the afternoon Mother had been drinking since Waverly’s dad left for work. Just when she thought she was going to pass out from the pain her dad walked through the door. He had decided to come home early today when her dad walked in and saw Mother kicking her he rushed to pull Mother away from her. Holding her arms while Mother turn to lash out at him, he could smell the alcohol on her breath “Waverly get out of here” he said to the girl while he wrestles Mother to the floor.  


She got up and ran as fast as she could down stairs she hid under the stairs, she could hear Mother yelling at her dad, things breaking as they were being thrown across the house. After what felt like forever, she heard the sirens her dad must have called the cops, it’s not the first time they have been to the house. She could hear the cops entering the house than Mother crying, telling the cops that dad hit her for no reason. When the cops ask Mother how much she’s had to drink, she goes into a blind rage yelling at the cop, trying to hit dad. The cops drag her out of the house, the brunette climbs up the stairs, and goes out the back door. Waverly hides on the side of the house watching the cops tried to wrestle Mother into the squad car. The neighbors are standing on their porches watching as this is not a new scene for them either.  


Just as the cops are about to get Mother in the car she turns and looks right at me “Waverly honey tell them it’s his fault, you don’t want them to take me away.” She pleads until the cops close the car door. Waverly is staring at her mom who is glaring back at her from the car while the cops talk to my dad. I overhear my dad saying “I came home early from work, I walked in and she started attacking me.” The cop is making notes “Sir did you hit her?”  


“No sir, I just pinned her down and blocked her from hitting and clawing me.” he shows him the claw marks on his hands and arms. The cops ask a few more questions, take pictures of his arms, and give him the report number so he can press charges. I’m watching Mother as she is now trying crying again “I have to pee, please let me in the house to pee.” The cops get her out of the car and set her on the ground “You are not going back in the house if you have to pee you will have to do it here.” Mother glares at them and pisses her pants. They pick her up and put her back in the car she tries pleading with Waverly one last time “Waverly baby, you know mommy loves you, let the cops know that.” She does not move or say anything the cops get in the car and as they are pulling away Mother sends her a glare she knows the punishment for not saying anything will be bad.  


Dad walks around the side of the house and sees her standing there, the pain and sadness in her eyes breaks his heart. He kneels down in front of her not touching her “Waverly, you know why I didn’t tell the cops about her hitting you right.” She nods her head yes, while saying “They will take me away if they knew.”  


“Honey I’m going to talk to a lawyer again and see if I can win a custody battle with her okay.”  


She just nods again, knowing not to get her hopes up, every time he goes to talk to a lawyer the answers are the same, mom will win custody, and you will not be able to see them so he stays married to Mother so that he doesn’t lose custody of the kids.  


“What do you want Waverly?” he asks holding back the tears  


“I want to go to Nicole’s house.”  


“You may go” He wouldn’t have refused her anything at that moment seeing the sadness in her eyes. She took off at a sprint heading towards the creek to take the shortcut to her friend’s house. She went to the bedroom window to see if the blue-eyed girl was in her room, she didn’t want to knock on the front door and have her mom answer. Nicole was sitting on her floor playing Mario Kart on Nintendo 64 she tapped on the window and her head snapped up meeting the brunette’s eyes. Nicole knew the second she looked at her that something had happened, she got up, opened the window, and helped her climb through noting the way she moves that she must have received another punishment from Mother.  


She ran to the kitchen coming back with an ice pack, she always made sure there were a couple frozen in the freezer. The brunette took the ice pack, placing it on her side “Thanks”  


“Wanna talk?”  


“No.” She got out before the tears that she was holding back broke through. Nicole walked her over to her bed, guiding her sit down so she could remove her shoes, then laying her back on the bed, placing the ice pack back on her side, and then laying down behind her wrapping her arms around the brunette making sure she didn’t hurt her. She just laid there holding her while she cried, not saying a word just being there to hold her until her breathing even out and she knew that she fell asleep, and she continued to lay there and hold the brunette falling asleep herself.

The microwave started beeping letting her know that her food was ready, she took her food to the kitchen table and sat down. She still couldn’t believe that she had about walked into Nicole’s arms after they returned to the office this afternoon. Shocked to find that she wanted to feel the comfort that the red head would always give while Nicole was collecting her stuff she had about walked right into her arms. When the other woman looked up, she saw the love and comfort that were always there when Nicole looked at her. Waverly snapped out of her thoughts when Nicole started to take a step towards her. She sat down at her desk and began to log on to her computer, sliding her chair as close to her desk as she could.  


Relieved when she heard the elevator doors shut, knowing that she was alone, she was able to breathe for the first time all day. Waverly did not want to think about her or her reaction to having her near, so instead she immersed herself in her report on Ryan making sure all the facts were correct for the fact-finding hearing, submitting for the clothing voucher, and typing up reunification plan. Working nonstop Waverly only stopped when her stomach growled so loud she was sure the people on the first floor could hear it.  


She cleaned up her dinner and headed upstairs to shower to get ready for bed, not wanting to be late for work. Tomorrow is the end of the week meeting; Dolls will want updated on all the new cases that we picked up during the week as well as status for some of our older cases. She always arrived to work right on time, but on meeting days she likes to get there few minutes early to make sure all her reports were up to date and correct.  


The next morning she runs into work right on time, already annoyed with the day. First her power must have went out at some point last night causing her alarm clock to reset, which resulted in her getting up fifteen minutes late. Then there was an accident on the way to work making her even later and giving her no time for her second cup of coffee. Any other day she would have gotten the coffee and been late but with the end of the week meeting today she didn’t have time. She rushed into her cubicle and came to a sudden halt. On her desk right in front of her keyboard was a large cup of coffee with a little cream, one sugar, and in a cup written on it. She turned looking for Nicole wondering when she had left the coffee, picking up the cup and taking a taste she sighed as it was still hot and just right. She sat down at her desk and begins preparing for the meeting, she finds and opens the email that Dolls had sent out letting everyone know what current cases he wanted updated on in addition to the new cases this week. She had two current cases on her work load that he wanted updates on; the first case was a sibling group of two brothers, one six and the other eight. They have been in foster care for six months; removed from the home after the mother got pulled over and arrested for driving under the influence. The mother completed her 60 days in jail, has been going to all AA meetings, and meeting every other goal agreed upon with the reunification plan. She has been having overnight visits three nights a week as long as things keep going the way they are she will ask the judge at the next court hearing in a month to agree to supervised reunification. The children will move back with their mom, but the mom will still have to continue working on the plan and she will do drop by visits to check how things are going.  


The second case was a three-year old girl who has been in foster care for a year and three months. Removed from the home when police got a tip of a meth lab in the home, when the police raided the home they found the girl alone in a room crying. The father is still in prison after admitting the meth lab was his, the mother served six months for child neglect and endangerment. She has been out of now for a year and has not attempted to meet any of the goals agreed upon in the reunification plan. She has supervised visits that she fails to show for, she is not reporting to parenting or drug classes, and she has yet to give a clean drug screen. At the next court hearing in three months she will be asking for termination of parental rights, if the judge agrees than the little girl will be placed for adoption.  


Just as she began to check all the cases, making sure the reports were up to date she Nicole clear her throat behind her. She turned to look up at the tall red head “Thank you for the coffee I didn’t have time to stop and get one.” Nicole smiled, “still not a morning person nor functional until after your second cup of coffee.” Waverly ignored the statement instead saying “What time did you come in this morning?” Nicole sighed hoping that the coffee would be a peace offering “I came in about an hour early I had some paperwork to finish filing out for HR.” The whole time they were talking Nicole was standing with her hands behind her back Waverly finally asked “What are you hiding behind your back.” Nicole gave her an amused look, handing the bag to Waverly. Waverly looked suspicious but took the bag and looked in she laughed when she saw her favorite donut. “Thanks, I also didn’t have time to eat this morning.”  


“Had I known that I would have gotten something more filling.” Nicole replied as she pulled her notebook out of her back, sitting down next to Waverly. “No, this is perfect, I don’t eat most mornings, and you know the whole not a functioning person in the morning thing. Normally I would have just stopped to get coffee and a bagel and been late to work but I did not want to be late for the morning meeting.”  


Nicole asked what the morning meeting was for she spent the rest of the time showing her how she gets ready for the meetings, explaining to her what Dolls would expect during the meetings. She updated her on the current cases that he wanted updates on as well as letting her read the report she had completed the night before on Ryan.  


“Well I know why he says you are the best; you are very organized in your reports. Do you mind if I keep a copy as a guide for when I’m making my own reports?”  


“Sure”  


Dolls stepped out of his office “meeting starts in five minutes in the boardroom.” The two women started gathering their things heading to the boardroom, as they walked into the boardroom Nicole spotted a coffee pot in the corner of the room “oh thank everything” she went straight to the coffee pot. Having one cup a day was not cutting it as soon as she got her own cubicle she planned on bringing her own coffee maker. Waverly watched as she went towards the coffee pot, she knew Dolls had made that pot and that it would be like drinking tar. She thought about warning her, but decided it would be funnier to watch her reaction. Nicole poured a cup not noticing that every pair of eyes in the room was watching her, to everyone surprised she took a big drink, smiled and let out a very content sigh.  


“This sure is a good pot of coffee.” she said to the room as she took the seat next to Waverly.  


Dolls was beaming from ear to ear “someone who recognizes a good pot of coffee.”  


Waverly stared at her like she had a third eye “tell me you’re joking” she looked at the brunette with such a look of contentment that she knew she wasn’t. She was about to say something when Dolls started the meeting. After about two hours Dolls began to assign the new case-loads to case workers, the last case getting assigned was Ryan’s. “I will be assigning the Jackson case to you Nicole” hearing her name she looked up from the notes she was writing down. Dolls continued “since Waverly was the one to start the case she will be familiar with it to help you if you need.”  


“Shouldn’t be a problem.” She looked at Waverly for confirmation.  


“I’m sure that Nicole can handle the case on her own, but I’m here to help.” Relieved that the case was assigned to someone else Waverly would have minor involvement with the case helping Nicole but as she had said she believed she could handle it on her own. Normally Waverly would take any case and she would have taken this one as well, never one to turn her back on a child, but now she didn’t think she could handle a case that involved a neglected baby and alcoholic parents at the moment.  


“Lunchtime, want to go get something to eat?” Nicole said beside her while she was gathering her belongings.  


“No.”  


“Want me to bring you back something?”  


“No thanks” She said as she turns to walk out of the boardroom without looking at Nicole. The rest of the day both women worked lost in their own thoughts and both very relieved that it was Friday.


	7. Chapter 7

It was Saturday morning Nicole was pulling into the hospital parking lot feeling guilty that she hadn’t come to visit her mom in a week. Three weeks ago her mom had a serious stroke, leaving her in a coma for a week and a half. Nicole lived twelve hours away when she received the call from her dad telling her that her mom was heading to the hospital. Nicole broke about a million traffic laws trying to get to her mom afraid that she would be too late. She had been contemplating moving back home for a while and that phone call gave her the motivation to do it. She submitted the paperwork for the transfer, packed her belongings, and last week moved into her new apartment ten minutes from both her parents’ house and the hospital.  


When she walked into the hospital room her mom was sleeping, you could see the effects the stroke had with her mom in her face. Nicole smiled, thinking she’s still the most beautiful woman she has ever met. She walked over placing her mom’s hand in hers. Her mother opened her eyes to look at her daughter.  


“Hi mom, how are you feeling today?”  


Her mom studied her daughter for a moment “I’m good, how are you?”  


“I’m good.”  


“That’s nice, now tell me the truth.”  


Nicole smiled at her mom, no matter how much she tried to hide her feelings from her mom the older woman always knew. “Mom you need to focus on you, not worrying about me. I’m good honest.”  


“Girl I’m your mother, my number one job is to worry about you. I can see that something is bothering you, written all over your face. So you can save me the time and energy of trying to pull it out of you and just tell me.”  


She just laughed, giving up knowing her mom wouldn’t stop till she got it out “I started working at the new office this week and it has been more difficult than I thought it would be.” Nicole wouldn’t look her mother in the eye knowing the older woman would see through the vague answer. Her mother reach up and gently turn her face to look into her eyes. “Do you want to elaborate on why it’s been difficult? I can see there is more.” Nicole sighs “I hate that you can read me so easily” the smile she gives her mom’s says otherwise. Knowing how Waverly’s relationship with her mother was she was grateful every day to have such a loving mother. Deciding to just tell her mom she said softly “do you remember Waverly Earp?”  


“Why of course that girl nearly lived at our house for ten years, there isn’t a day that has passed that I have not thought of her.”  


“Well you know the softball tournament I told you I was playing in last weekend.” Her mom nodded her head encouraging Nicole to continue “I was in the field warming up when I felt someone looking at me. I looked up and there was Waverly, mom, just standing there staring at me. I couldn’t believe it, I thought I was going crazy and hallucinating.”  


Her mom couldn’t help the tears that slid down her face in her eyes Waverly was like a second daughter to her. When Waverly disappeared it had not only broken Nicole’s heart but her own as well. Every day since she has regretted never stepping in to help the girl, she knew things at home were bad, but it wasn’t until years later when Nicole finally told her that she realized how bad things were.  


“Oh honey.”  


“There’s more.” Nicole continued “You know that I transferred from the Cleveland office to the office here” she paused to laugh when she saw her mom roll her eyes. Her mom about had a fit when she came out of the coma and Nicole told her that she had transferred and was moving closer to her. “Anyway” she continued “I’m shadowing a case worker at the new office just until I get the hang of how they do things.”  


“Uh huh, and.”  


“The case worker is Waverly; I didn’t even know she worked for the department until a week before I started.”  


Her mom was confused, she would have thought that being reunited with Waverly would be a good thing, and she knew that Nicole never stopped looking for the younger girl. Whenever they were out if a short brunette was near Nicole would always take a second look. Christine would see the flash of hope spark in her daughter’s eyes before just as quickly disappearing when the brunette wouldn’t be Waverly. Seeing the pain and hurt in her daughters eyes told her that it wasn’t a happy reunion, when the tears started to slowly slide down her cheeks she wanted nothing more than to take her daughter in her arms. She started to sit up “Honey what is it?” Nicole climbs into the bed with her mom, being careful of the wires hooked up to her mom, laying her head on her shoulder “Mom, she hates me. She’s so angry at me that she won’t even talk to me unless it is work related. I have no clue why she disappeared ten years ago and she won’t talk to me about it.” She choked out, letting the tears fall.  


Her mom ran her fingers through her hair shushing her thinking back to the night she realized that her daughter was falling in love.

12 years ago; age 15  
It was ten o’clock and Christine was getting ready to go to bed as she walked through the house, making sure the lights were off, leaving the entry light on and checking the front door making sure it was unlocked. She smiled when she thought of her daughter and her friend Waverly. The girls have been best friends since they were seven, Waverly has been sneaking in and out of her daughter’s window from about the time they met until one morning a year ago she told her daughter to have her friend use the front door. The shocked look on Nicole’s face was priceless “like I wouldn’t know.”  


Christine climbed into bed thinking about her daughter’s friend. She knew that the girl didn’t have the best home life; she has heard the brunette crying at night and her daughter comforting her. Christine has tried to get Nicole to talk to her about it but her daughter won’t say anything other than saying her home life isn’t great. After about thirty minutes she heard the front door open, the floor creaking as Waverly made her way to Nicole’s room, and then the quiet whispers. She relaxed just then realizing that she was waiting for Waverly to come in before falling asleep.  


A few hours later she was awakened by a noise outside, she got up to use the bathroom, deciding to peak in at the girls. It was still early so she knew that Waverly would still be there. She was thinking about the girls as she walked down the hallway towards her daughter’s room, she had never seen two people be closer than those girls were. She opened the door allowing the light from the hallway light up the bedroom the sight she saw took her breath away. Nicole snuggled behind Waverly with her arm wrapped protectively around the brunette holding her tight.  


She shut the door going back to her room, not wanting to wake them. She was lying in bed thinking about the sight that she had just seen, thinking about the look that Nicole gets in her eye when she sees Waverly, the smile that crosses her daughters face when you mention the brunette. Watching them together, you would think they were one person, when one moves the other instinctively moves, they share secret smiles when they think no one is looking “it’s like they are soul mates.” Realizing what she had just said she sits up in bed covering her mouth with her hand, then a slow smile creeps on her face “my baby girl is falling in love” she whispered before laying back down with a smile on her face.

“I knew you were gay when you were fifteen years old.” Her mother said with a laugh.  


Nicole sits up looking shocked “What? How? I didn’t tell you until I was nineteen.”  


Her mom smiled “Do you keep forgetting that I am your mother? Do you not think I would know when my daughter is falling in love? I knew you loved that girl before you did. I figured that when you were ready to tell me you would, then she disappeared and you were so heartbroken I didn’t want to bring it up.”  


“Why did you not say anything the night I told you?”  


“You made this huge deal about telling me and explaining. I didn’t want to take that away from you.” She said laughing remembering the night that Nicole walked into her room, pale as a ghost telling her that they needed to talk. Nicole had paced back and forth in bedroom for thirty minutes, wringing her hands together, and opening and closing her mouth. Christine had patiently waited for Nicole to say out loud what she had already known for years  


“Honey you are going to pace a trench in my bedroom.”  


“Mom, I’m gay!” Nicole blurted out bursting into tears. When she had started to apologize Christine walked up to her, held her face in her hands, looking her right in the eyes, and saying “Honey never apologize for being who you are. I don’t care who you choose to love as long as you are happy.” Then she wrapped her daughter in arms.  


Nicole left the hospital a couple of hours later knowing her mom was getting tired and wouldn’t sleep if she was there. Her mom asked her to see if Waverly would come visit her. She told her that she would ask the brunette but that she didn’t think she would come. Explaining that Waverly didn’t want anything personal to do with her, her mom smiled and told her to remain patient.  


It was Monday morning and every muscle in Nicole’s body hurt. She had spent the weekend getting unpacked she however is paying for it today. She smiled when she walked into Waverly cubicle, everything was in order and everything had a place. Nicole took the pencil jar and moved it about 6 inches to the left. Every day last week she had moved something small on Waverly desk and always only moving it a few inches one way or the other. She would then hide the amused smile when Waverly would move the item back to the proper spot without even realizing she was doing it. This was also something about Waverly that hadn’t changed. When they were kids everything that Waverly had a quirky habit of being too neat. Her book bag was always organized, she had the cleanest locker in the school, and everything had a proper place. Nicole would sneak into Waverly’s locker and move a book or a folder and wait to see how long it would take Waverly to fix it. It never took long usually only seconds after opening the locker, what really fascinated her was that the green eye girl never realized she was doing it. Nicole had learned that Waverly wouldn’t arrive at work until right on time, again something that didn’t change. Nicole who had always been a morning person, would arrive to work thirty minutes early and use the time to log on to Waverly’s computer to check her emails. Today she arrived a little earlier needing to prepare for the follow-up on Ryan’s case that she was going to do today. She was busy adding the new details to the report that the lawyer had emailed her over the weekend that she didn’t hear Waverly walk into the cubicle “Hello”  


She stopped typing, looked at the clock she was shocked to see that three hours had passed. She turn to Waverly raising her eyebrows “three hours late, everything okay?”  


“This is my month of late nights; noon to eight. Which means I don’t have to wake up at stupid early o’clock.” She said with a smirk.  


“Gotcha, give me a second to save this and I will give you your space back.”  


Waverly was already walking out of the cubicle “take your time I have to go talk to the boss first.”  


Nicole hurried and finished what she was doing and just logging off when Waverly returned “I brought you a coffee, but it is probably cold now.”  


“Thanks.” She said as she sat down in the chair that Nicole just vacated. She turned to look at Nicole as she slowly sat in the spare chair, noticing the pain that flashed across her eyes “are you alright?”  


The question caught Nicole off guard, it was the first question that Waverly had asked her that wasn’t work related, “Yes I’m fine, just sore from unpacking all day yesterday.”  


Waverly nodded “So what is on your schedule for today?”  


Nicole sighed, just like that the switch was turned and they were back to a professional relationship “I have to go follow-up on Ryan today, make sure he is adjusting well to the foster home. Then I am going to go visit with the parent’s in jail to go over the reunification plan.”  


“Do you need any help?”  


“No, I got it. This is pretty routine stuff; it’s the same no matter what state you work in.”  


Waverly nodded in agreement.  


Nicole dragged herself back into the office five hours later feeling like a truck had hit her and then put it in reverse and ran her over again. Ryan is adjusting as well as a one year old can, considering everything that has happened. His foster mom took him to the doctor for the routine medical exam, other than being underweight for his age the doctor says he is healthy and he’s right on track with his motor skills. Ryan’s parents however were a different story, they were nothing but combative. She has the sinking feeling that they are not going to do any of the requirements to get their son back.  


She walked into the cubicle and plopped herself down in the chair closing her eyes and groaning as every muscle in her body protested at the sudden movement. She tilted her head back, rubbing her eyes, she was exhausted and sore. Waverly glanced over at her “that rough?”  


“The parents.”  


“They are the rough part, how is Ryan?”  


“He is doing as well as expected, his foster mom is sweet.”  


“Yea Stacy is one of my favorites. She is always so patient and gentle with the children. Do you think this will end with reunification or termination?”  


Nicole signed “I don’t like to choose either way, but if I had to than I would say termination. Hopefully they will prove me wrong. I’m going to step over to that empty cubicle and type up my report before heading home.”  


“Why don’t you talk to Dolls and see if that can just be your cubicle, you already know what you are doing that you don’t need to shadow me anymore. Any questions that may come up I am here to ask.”  


Nicole just nodded and walked towards Dolls’s office. He of course said that would be fine, so Nicole was now sitting in her cubicle having just finished the last details to Ryan’s case and emailing it to the department’s lawyer. The fact-finding hearing scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, as of now they are requesting that the child remains a ward of the state, supervised visits with parents upon release from jail, the parents are to attend parenting and drug classes, and go six months without a positive drug screen. Nicole was sure the judge would agree to terms she however was not as hopeful that the parents would work to get him back.  


She signed off the computer gathered her things and was heading to the elevator. She thought about swinging by Waverly’s cubicle to say good-bye but figured that the brunette wouldn’t care either way. Surprised when the elevator doors were about closed to hear Waverly saying hold the doors Nicole reached out stopping the doors from closing holds them open while Waverly rushed into the elevator.  


“Thanks”  


“Everything alright?”  


“Yes, just got a report of possible child neglect. I’m going to go do a quick home visit.”  


“Do you need help?”  


“No, I have a feeling it was the teenager making the anonymous report.”  


The rest of the ride down to the first floor was quiet Nicole was having a battle within herself on whether to do as her mom requested and ask Waverly to go visit her. She was going to go have dinner at the hospital tonight with her mom and knew that her mom would never let her off the hook if she found out she never asked. Brought out of her thoughts when the brunette asked “Why did you move here?” as they were making their way through the main lobby. It was the second personal non work related question that Waverly had asked the blue-eyed girl.  


Well this is the perfect opening to asking her Nicole thought “My mom had a stroke about three weeks ago causing her to slip into a coma the doctors didn’t know if she was going to make it. I lived twelve hours away when I got the call I was so scared I wouldn’t make it in time. She came out of the coma early last week and is doing better than expected. Other than the left side of her face drooping a little there wasn’t really any serious damage that we can tell. She will have to take it easy for a while, do some physical therapy to regain her strength but overall we were really lucky. I decided that I wanted to be closer to them so I submitted my transfer and moved three days later. Nicole smiled to herself “I moved before knowing if my transfer had been approved.” Waverly just shook her head “what if your transfer hadn’t been approved?” Nicole thought for a moment before saying with complete confidence “Then I would have just quit and moved anyway.” The answer did not surprise Waverly at all “I’m sorry to hear about your mom, I’m glad that she is doing okay.”  


The elevator had reach the lobby and Nicole decided it was now or never “Um so I was visiting my mom Saturday and mentioned that I had run into you, she asked me to ask you if you would stop by and see her.”  


She could see the battle that Waverly was having in her head on her face all she said was “I‘ll think about it.”  


“Thank you, I know she would appreciate it. She is at Methodist if you decide to go.”  


When they exited the building both women walked off in separate directions.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning, This chapter deals with sexual abuse towards a child, if this is a trigger for you or you would rather not read it then skip the flash back. 
> 
> Any feedback provided will the appreciated. 
> 
> Thank you for reading.

Waverly’s month of late nights was almost over “One more night” she moaned as she stretched at her desk. Working late at night wasn’t the problem she did that already, it was that as the caseworker on call during late nights all the calls were filtered through you. More calls came in during the evening than during the day. The brunette thoughts drifted to Nicole, she had not spoken to her much since the day they talked about her mom, with her being on late nights, and Nicole no longer shadowing her there wasn’t much reason to talk. They would acknowledge each other in passing with a quick “hello” and “how are you” but that would be all, Waverly had the feeling that the blue-eyed girl was avoiding her. What bothered her was that she couldn’t ignore the fact that she wanted to talk to Nicole. She smiled seeing the empty coffee cup on her desk, each day when she arrived to work there would be a hot cup of coffee on her desk with the same message written on the cup a little cream, one sugar, and in a cup.  


Waverly had also not been able to stop thinking about Christine; she battled all month on whether to go visit her. She knew that if she went that there would be questions she didn’t want to answer, but she also missed the women who she used to wish was her mother. Waverly sighed, not having the answers and torn about what to do. She started to log off her computer when the emergency line rang “No” she moaned as she answered it.  
“Department of Child Services, Waverly Earp speaking, how may I help you?”  


“Hello, I believe the child is being abused in the apartment next to mine.” The caller said in a hesitant voice.  


“When do you suspect this was happening?”  


“Right now.”  


Waverly jerked in her seat “Right this second?”  


“Yes, a lot of screaming and slamming noise and I hear a child crying is coming from the apartment next to mine.”  


“Did you call the police?”  


“No I called you.”  


Waverly asked the caller for the address, thanked her for calling, and disconnected the call. She grabbed her keys and headed towards the elevator dialing the police department on her cell phone giving them the information and requesting that they meet her there. When she arrived she was thankful that the police had arrived and appeared to already have someone in custody. She grabbed a stuff bear from the trunk then started walking toward the apartment passing a squad car where a man who looked strung out on drugs was alternating between being unconscious and screaming. An officer spotted Waverly and rushed up to her “There’s a little girl, maybe five hiding under the bed, she won’t let any of us near her.”  


She followed the officer into the apartment, the floor scattered with broken glass, and she continued to follow the cop back to the bedroom. The officer pointed to the bed “She’s under there, anytime we try to pull her out she panics.” Waverly glared at the officer, but kept her thoughts to herself, not everyone has the same experience.  


“Do you mind waiting outside?” Waverly shut the bedroom door not giving the officer a chance to respond. She made sure to keep her distance from the bed, sitting down on the floor slowly, and keeping the bear where the girl could see it. When she looked into the girl’s eyes the look of fear and sadness that Waverly recognized broke her heart. “Hello I’m Waverly” she quietly said, reaching the bear out towards the girl “Would you like to hold my friend Mr. Bear?”  


Waverly had sat on the floor talking to the little girl for forty-five minutes just as the girl was reaching out her hand to take the bear an officer stormed in the room “What is taking so long? Just grab her.” Waverly cursed in her head, turning her head to look at the cop “I will not grab her, she’s had enough hands on her tonight don’t you think. Now please go.” He glared at her for a moment before turning to leave the room, she drew her attention back to the girl under the bed “Do you want the bear?” she held the bear out to the girl. The girl was chewing on her bottom lip just when Waverly was about to speak again the little girl started crawling out from under the bed.  


The brunette had to keep her expression neutral when the girls face came into the light, her eye was black and starting to swell, she had a swollen lip and a very distinct hand print on her left cheek. She didn’t move a muscle just holding the bear out for the girl as the little brunette stood up and waddled towards Waverly, who guessed the girl’s age closer to three than five. The girl reached out with her left hand to take the bear and Waverly noticed that she was holding her right arm against chest “probably broken” she thought.  


It was another fifteen minutes before the little girl allowed Waverly to take her hand and walk her out of the apartment. She walked right passed the officer that had stormed into the room even though he was trying to get her attention; instead speaking to first officer she had spoken to when she arrived. Not wanting to say something to the other officer that would later get her in trouble. “Do you know her name” she asked the officer. “The neighbor told us she believes it’s Casey.”  


Once the little girl Casey was admitted to the hospital for the night, Waverly told her that she would see her in the morning and was about to walk out of the room. Casey started to panic; not allowing any of the doctors or nurses to check her for injuries. Afraid that she would hurt herself more Waverly went back into the room and told her that she wouldn’t leave her. Once the girl was sure that she was staying she allowed the doctors to check her.  


The girl was sleeping at the moment, every so often she would open her eyes looking right at Waverly once she knew Waverly was still there, she would close her eyes and go back to sleep. Just as Waverly was getting back to her notes the doctor walked in “Can you please step outside so we can go over her exam?” Waverly walked over to the bed “Casey” the little girl’s eyes snapped open. Waverly pointed to the window “I’m going to step right outside to talk to the doctor; you will be able to see me through that window. Okay?” The girl looked to the window and then back at her nodding her head.  


Waverly followed the doctor out of the room making sure to stand right in front of the window so that Casey could see her. “She has a broken right arm that will need a cast, bruised ribs, and multiple knots on her head. The good news is the MRI showed no serious damage to her head. We did find multiple old injuries, which have healed on their own. They shouldn’t give her a problem.” Listening to the doctor list all her injuries brought tears to her eyes “Thank you doctor.”  


“There’s one more thing.” The doctor paused, taking a breath before continuing “We found evidence of sexual abuse.” The tears that had pooled in Waverly’s eyes slid down her face. Waverly thanked the doctor again and took a few minutes to dry her face before walking back into the room. Waverly walked over to the bed she laid her hand palm up on the bed allowing the little girl to decide to hold her hand.  


The little girl slid her hand into the brunettes after a few minutes the little girl crawled into her lap Waverly readjusted them so that they were both lying in bed. Waverly sent Dolls an email letting him know where she was and that she wouldn’t make it to the office tomorrow, but that she would call him to update him as soon as she got a chance. With Casey snuggled against her, she looked at the clock it was almost one in the morning, then she closes her eyes and falls asleep.

18 years ago; age 9  
Waverly was sitting on the floor watching Mighty Mouse ignoring the sounds coming from the bedroom, she was thankful that today Mother did not make her go into that room. They were at Mother’s friend’s house, when they were here Mother would spend the day drinking and smoking. It always ended with Mother and her friend going into the bedroom two months ago as they were heading to the bedroom Mother’s friend was looking at her “Don’t you think it’s time she learns how to make a man love her.”  


Mother glared at her “Of course, Waverly do you ever want a man to love you?”  


“Yes ma’am” she hoped that was the correct answer.  


“Come here girl”  


She got up and walked towards Mother who led her into the bedroom “Now Waverly if you ever want a man to love you, you have to know how to please them.”  


She had to sit there and watch as Mother and her friend had sex anytime that she tried to cover her ears or close her eyes Mother would scream at her “Open your eyes, you have to know how to do this.”  


Now more often she has to sit in the bedroom and watch, today she was happy when they went to the bedroom and left her sitting in the living room. When he walked out of the bedroom she started to hope that they would be leaving soon that hope disappeared when he began pouring more shots. He was staring at Waverly she turned away to look at the TV hoping that they would forget she was there.  


“It’s time that you had hands on practice.” She heard him say as he walked into the bedroom where she could hear them talking but not making out what they were saying. “Waverly, get in here now.” Mother called from the bedroom.  


Waverly walked into the bedroom “You are going to learn how to get a man to love you.” Mother said as she walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She was confused not knowing what was going on when Mother’s friend walked up to her taking her hand and placing it on the crotch of his shorts. Waverly jerked her hand away, turning to leave the room, he grabbed her, smacking her across the face “You will do as I say or else” he slurred throwing Waverly on the bed.  


She moved to get off the bed when he pinned her down, whispering in her ear “you will do what I say or I will kill your dad” Waverly froze in fear just lying there as he undressed her, spreading her legs, and entering her slamming into her over and over.

Waverly jerked awake, causing Casey’s eyes to snap open. “Hey sweetie it is okay go back to sleep” surprised her voice sounded normal. It had been awhile since she has had that dream. She glanced at the clock it was a little after four she cleared her mind trying to go back to sleep.  


The doctors made their rounds at seven when they entered the room Waverly woke up, she started to get up “No don’t move you are fine, let her sleep.” She laid back listening to the doctor’s discussed Casey’s injury’s and medical plan. The head doctor turns to her “We will discharge her today as soon as we get the permanent cast on her arm.” Waverly made a mental note to start arranging for a foster home for the girl.  


Once the doctor’s left the room she was surprised when Nicole walked in balancing two cups of coffee, a paper sack, and a duffel bag “hi.”  


“Hello”  


“Dolls told me what happened and that you were here. I figured you would need some things, so I brought you one of your shirts from your desk, then stopped and bought you a toothbrush, hairbrush, and breakfast. I also brought over her clothing voucher I assumed she didn’t have anything either” She handed her one of the coffees.  


“Thank you, I appreciated it. You have no idea.”  


“No problem.” Nicole looked at Casey and two brown eyes were staring back at her.  


“Casey this is Nicole she is a case worker like me and here to help you as well.”  


Nicole waved at the little girl surprised at how much she reminded her of Waverly when she was little. She had the same brunette hair and brown eyes as Waverly but it was the emotions that were in the little girl’s eyes, the same ones that were in and still are in Waverly’s that caused a knot to form in the red head’s throat.  


Just then a nurse walked into the room “It’s time to take her down for a final x-ray before we fit her in a cast.”  


The older women walked behind the bed, following the nurse to x-ray “Do you need anything else?”  


“No, she is getting discharged soon. I really do appreciate what you did already.”  


They were silent for several minutes when Nicole told Waverly that she was going to go visit her mom while she was in the hospital and walked toward the elevators.  


While the doctors were fitting Casey for a cast Waverly was trying to find a foster home for her, she was able to contact Chrissy, who was a single female foster parent she took in short-term emergency placements until long-term arrangements could be made. Waverly thought that Casey would do better with a single female foster mom due to the trauma that the girl has experienced. They made arrangements to bring Casey to her home after they left the hospital.  


After getting Casey settled at Chrissy’s which went a lot smoother than Waverly had thought it was going to go. The little girl had been hesitant at first clinging to her side, but eventually the girl warmed up to Chrissy, nodding yes, when Waverly asked her if she wanted to stay there. On auto pilot she now found herself driving back to the hospital to visit Nicole’s mom. Not thinking about where and why she was going because she would just change her mind and turn around she just continue to drive.  


She walks back into the hospital stopping at the information desk “Hello, I’m here to visit Christine Haught can you tell me what room she’s in?”  


“Absolutely, give me just a second.” It only took the girl behind the desk a few seconds to find her room “she’s on the fourth floor, in the Rehabilitation Center in room 4126.”  


“Thank you.”  


She headed towards the elevator as she turns the corner she sees Nicole stepping off the elevator. The red head girl did not see her, so she ducked around the corner, and out of sight. She wasn’t sure why, but she didn’t want Nicole to see her before she went to visit. After she walked by without seeing her Waverly took the elevator to the fourth floor.  


When she reached the room she started having second thoughts, she peeked into the room and saw Christine sleeping. Waverly just stared at her tears filling her eyes to the brunette the older woman looked exactly the same except with gray hair, she started to turn to leave not wanting to disturb the sleeping woman when she heard “Don’t even think about it!” Waverly looked back at the older woman lying in bed.  


“Hello Mrs. Haught.” Waverly said from the doorway.  


“Waverly you better do two things, one is to call me Christine and two is to get over here and give me a hug.” She walked into the room, and hugged the older woman. Waverly did not pull away from the hug until Christine move “Let me see your face honey.” Waverly moved back surprised to see that both women had tears in their eyes. “Oh Waverly I have missed you.”  


“I’ve missed you too, Mrs. Uh Christine.” Waverly felt awkward calling the older woman Christine, when she was a kid; she always addressed her as Mrs. Haught, even though the older woman had tried to get her to call her by her first name.  


The two women were visiting and catching up when Christine could no longer keep from asking “Honey what happened, why did you disappear ten years ago.” This was the conversation Waverly did not want to have “I had my reason.”  


“I’m sure you did, and I want to know them. Nicole wasn’t the only one heartbroken when you left.”  


Waverly looked away not able to look at the pain in Christine’s eyes, feeling guilty that she had caused it. She was silent for many moments collecting her thoughts before saying “Nicole told.”  


“Nicole told what? To whom?”  


“Did Nicole ever tell you what my home life was like?”  


Christine reached out and took Waverly’s hand “It was four years after you disappeared, but yes, she told me.” Waverly just nodded thankful that she didn’t have to say that part.  


“Do you remember who Chrissy was?”  


Christine thought for a minute “Is she the cheerleader that Nicole would call Royal Bitch?”  


Waverly laughed “Yep that’s the one so you remember her.”  


Christine nodded, waiting for Waverly to continue to talk “It was the last day of school and I was at my locker cleaning it out getting ready to go meet Nicole in the parking lot. I was checking the top shelf of my locker when Chrissy walked by seeing the bruises saying “Oh look did mommy punish you again; what is wrong with you that your own mom doesn’t love you. That she would rather use you as a sex toy than love you.” I tried to get away from her, but she continued “Do you think Nicole loves you, Nicole pity’s you. When you’re not looking she laughs behind your back, disgusted by you.” I was so confused, I couldn’t figure out how Chrissy knew, when all I could say was “how.” She just laughed and said “You really believe that Nicole is your friend, that she keeps your secrets for you.” Everyone now knew my secret because Nicole had told, the school counselor was in the hallway hearing everything. She stepped in before the panic of what was happening fully took over. She made me go to her office telling me that she wasn’t going to let me leave the school until the Department of Service had spoken with me. I asked to go to the bathroom while we waited for Department of Child Services once I was out of the office I just kept walking out of the school.  


Waverly stopped talking for a second “I left school that day betrayed by Nicole, scared of what Mother would do when she found out about Department of Child Services so when I got home I packed my bags and ran away.”  


Waverly had told the whole story staring at her hands fidgeting in her lap. She had never told anyone the details of what happened that day. Expecting to see disgust and hate she was surprised to see love and tears “Have you talked to Nicole?”  


Waverly just shook her head no.  


“I don’t know what Nicole did or didn’t say, but from what she told me I doubt she was the one to say anything to Chrissy. She was heartbroken when you disappeared; I was so worried about you both. Talk to her sweetie; give her a chance to explain.”  


Waverly nodded, not trusting to talk at the moment, for so long she thought Nicole had told. She had to have told, how else Willa know everything that happened to her. Waverly looked at Christine “Can you please not tell Nicole I was here or the reason I disappear?”  


“Of course I won’t tell it’s not my story to tell.”  


After that, the women spent the next two hours getting caught up, Waverly told Christine how she got her GED, put herself through college and started working for the Department of Child Services. They spent two hours catching up, when it was time for Christina to go do her physical therapy Waverly hugged her goodbye before she could pull away Christina whispered in her ear “Promise me two things.” Waverly pulled back to be able to look into her face “what?”  


“Promise me that you won’t disappear again and that you will talk to Nicole. I do not want either one of you hurting any longer.” Waverly stared at the older woman noticing where Nicole had gotten her eyes from “I promise.” She whispered giving the older women another hug before walking out of the room. Driving home she knew that she had to keep her promise, not only for the two blue eyed women but for herself as well. It was time to get real answers to what happened that day.


	9. Chapter 9

Nicole walked out of the boardroom after the Friday meeting looking at the notes that she received from the new case that Dolls assigned to her. A young single mother left her five-year old at home alone when the babysitter called last-minute to say she couldn’t watch the girl in fear of losing her job if she called in. The red head was hopeful that the mother would be reunified with the child soon. The fact-finding hearing will be on Monday, she will be in court all day Monday due to her full work load. She has the new case she received today, she will be asking the judge to reunify the child with the mother if the mother agrees to attend parenting classes, plus Department of Child Services will help arrange daycare vouchers to help the mother pay for reliable daycare.  


“Hello Nicole.”  


Nicole looked up and saw Waverly “Hello Waverly, How are you?”  


“I’m good, and you?”  


“I’m good.” Nicole has had this same conversation with the blonde for the last month. She turned to walk to her cubicle stopping when Waverly continued “I wanted to thank you for the coffees every morning, you don’t have to do that.”  


“I know I don’t but I’m there anyways, so it’s no big deal.” She started towards her cubicle when Waverly started following her. Nicole turned look at Waverly waiting for the shorter woman to say something. She could tell something was on her mind “Is there something you need Waverly?” Deciding to ask instead of waiting for Waverly to work out whatever internal dialog she was having with herself.  


“Oh no, I was just wondering how Ryan Jackson’s case was coming along.”  


Nicole could tell this is not what Waverly was originally going to ask but didn’t want to push so she updated her on Ryan’s case “Monday is the thirty-day follow-up with the judge, unfortunately his parents are not cooperating with me at all, they refuse to show up for visits, class, or court hearings. I will be asking the judge to consider termination of parental rights in six months unless the parents decide to co-operate.”  


“That’s sad, that poor sweet boy. How is he doing?”  


“He’s doing well, he’s bonding with Stacy and her husband, and if it ends with termination they are thinking about adopting him.”  


“That would be great, I know that Stacy has wanted to adopt for a while.”  


“For Ryan’s sake I hope they adopt him.”  


Nicole and Waverly had just reached her cubicle when Rosita walked up “Hello ladies.”  


“Hello Rosita.” Both women said in unison.  


Rosita had watched these two women dance around each other for the past month, both staring at the other when they weren’t looking. She decided it was time to get these two really talking “So I’m having a Halloween party at my place tomorrow night, your both invited.  


“Halloween isn’t for another 3 weeks Rosi.” Waverly said laughing  


“I know that, but everyone is always busy the closer it gets to Halloween, then the holiday season kicks off which means we are all busier with family and heavier case-loads. So I’m throwing my famous Halloween party early, that way everyone can come.”  


Waverly and Nicole both started to decline when Rosita interrupted them “I won’t take no for an answer, be at my house at seven, you may bring a date if you like, and don’t forget to wear a costume.” Turning to walk away before either woman could say anything.  


They stood there in silence, watching Rosita retreating back “Is she always like that” Nicole spoke first  


“Yep”  


“Well I guess I will see you tomorrow night. I need to get working on my cases, preparing for court Monday or I’ll never get out of here today”  


“I understand, talk to you later.”  


Nicole walked into her cubicle wondering how she managed to get committed to a Halloween party and what Waverly really wanted to ask her. She sat down at her computer, making herself focus on her cases.  


She prepared all her cases for Monday, she had a four case going to court on Monday, an initial fact-finding hearing, a thirty-day follow-up, a termination hearing, and a reunification hearing. Having cases all at different levels was emotionally draining, she leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes her contacts were bothering her again. Nicole logged off the computer, grabbed her bag glad she was leaving with enough time to visit her mom. Waverly was getting on the elevator when Nicole walked up “Leaving already?”  


Waverly laughed “Apparently I have to go find a Halloween costume before tomorrow night.”  


“So you’re going to Rosita party?”  


“Oh yes, I have too or she will never forgive me, are you?”  


“I haven’t decided yet.”  


“I hope you do” was all Waverly said before walking off the elevator.  


Nicole walked into her apartment after visiting with her mom. She had decided to go to Rosita’s party, she kept telling herself it was so that she could get to know her co-workers better, but really knew the only reason she was going was because Waverly wanted her to. She had tried to avoid the brunette thinking that was what she wanted, but the last few days the brunette has been the one to approach her. Nicole could tell there was something on her mind and just when she thought Waverly was going to say whatever it was on her mind she would say something else last second.  


Nicole picked up her cell phone, she was going to go to the party, but she wasn’t going to go alone. She called Shae knowing that she would always be up for a party.  


“Hey Shae.”  


“Hey girl, how is everything?”  


“Doing well, busy but good. Would you be up for a party tomorrow night?”  


“Of course.”  


“Great it’s a Halloween party so you have to wear a costume, Wear your leather.”  


“Oh biker chicks, I can dig it, are we taking out the Harley?”  


“It’s supposed to rain but if it doesn’t than definitely.”  


Shae squealed “I love the Harley”  


Nicole laughed, she talked to Shae for a few more minutes arranging pick up times and listening to her hope that it didn’t rain. Nicole almost believed that her Harley was the only reason Shae was her friend, which she wouldn’t blame her; she was in love with her Harley.  


Nicole pulled up outside of Shae’s, getting out of the car, and sprinting to the door. The bit of rain that that had been expected had turned into a downpour. Nicole walked in not bothering to knock “Shae” she called as she removed her coat.  


“In the bedroom”  


Nicole walked to the back of her house towards the bedroom “I hate to break it to you but the Harley had to stay nice and dry in my garage.”  


Shae stuck her head out of the bathroom door with a pout “I figured when I saw the rain.”  


“I promise to take you on a ride before I store her for the winter.”  


“Deal” Shae looked Nicole up and down “Wow you look hot!”  


“You don’t look too bad yourself.”  


“Yea but I always dress like this, you don’t. You wouldn’t be trying to catch the eye of a certain brunette that you can’t keep from talking about are you.”  


Nicole said “No” out loud, but secretly when she was dressing that was her goal. She had to admit that she looks good tonight wearing tight leather pants that hugged her hips just right, a black leather vest that barely covered the red lacy bra and boots.  


“So how are things going with you and your girl?”  


“She’s not my girl, Shae”  


“Okay, not yet. How are things going though, how insane is it to have her back into your life?”  


“I wouldn’t say she was back in my life” Nicole says sitting on the bed watching Shae put on the finishing touches of her make-up. They had tried dating a few years back, but quickly realized that they were better friends than lovers. “We don’t talk, I get the feeling there is something she wants to tell me, but every time she starts she changes her mind. I am relieved to know she is okay, for ten years I have” Nicole paused, looking for the right word when Shae finished for her “loved her.”  


“Worried about her.” Nicole corrected.  


“Call it what you want, you were in love with her ten years ago just as you are still in love with her now.”  


“I’m not in love with her, do I care about her? Yes, Do I hope she’s happy, Yes, Have I worried about her, Yes. Do I love her, yes she was one of the most important people in my life, I will always love, but am I in love with her. No, it’s been too long, we are different people now.”  


“Then why haven’t you ever had a serious relationship?”  


“I haven’t found the right person yet.”  


“Or you already found the right person and she just walked back into your life. When we were dating there was a part of you that you kept guarded, that you wouldn’t let me get near wouldn’t let me in.”  


“What? No, we just didn’t work as a couple, the chemistry wasn’t there.”  


“No the chemistry was there, your heart wasn’t.”  


Nicole rolled her eyes no point in arguing when Shae believed something there was no changing her mind. Nicole laid back on the bed, closing her eyes, thinking about when she realized she was in love with the brunette.

11 years ago; age 16  
Nicole was sitting on her bed with her text books scattered around her for the past hour she has attempted to study. She had a test tomorrow in Algebra “when am I ever going to use this in real life” she grumbled as she once again attempted to solve a problem for the third time. She threw down her pencil in frustration when she still gets the incorrect answer, just then she heard her door opening, thinking it was mom coming to tell her good-night “good-night mom.” After a few seconds when no one responded she looked up surprised to see Waverly standing there, tears falling down her face. She threw her books aside, homework forgotten, and went to Waverly. It had been awhile since Waverly has shown up at her house after one of her mother’s punishments, she still spent the night almost every night, but more often than not it was because she wanted to be with Nicole.  


Now that Waverly was older her Mother didn’t have the opportunities to punish her as often as she used to. The brunette kept busy with school and work usually arriving home after her mother had passed out and leaving before her mom woke back up.  


“Waverly what’s wrong?” Nicole said going to Waverly, she learned long ago not to touch Waverly until the brunettee made the first move.  


Waverly didn’t say a word she just raised the sleeves of her sweater causing Nicole to gasp when she saw the multiple cigarette burns that line her arms from her wrist to elbows. “Oh Waverly”  


At that the blonde fell into Nicole’s arms, the blue-eyed girl held the tears back that wanted to fall. Nicole led Waverly over to her bed, clearing all her school books off the bed. The girls sat on the bed Nicole just held Waverly knowing that when the blonde was ready she would talk.  


“I had to work late tonight, one of the girls called in. I tried calling Mother to let her know, but she never answered. I was two hours late getting home; I had hoped that Mother would have passed out already. As soon as I walked in the door, she started screaming at me about whoring around, I tried to explain to her that I was at work and had tried calling of course she didn’t believe me.” Nicole could hear the anger building in Waverly voice as she talked, more often after the tears would run dry, Waverly would be filled with anger.  


She stood up pacing “Mother than tied me to a chair, I tried fighting her, but she threatens to lock me in the basement again. I can’t handle being locked in the basement so I let her tie me to the chair. She then lit a cigarette and said as punishment I would receive one burn for every minute I was late, sixty on each arm.” Waverly then sat back down, leaning on Nicole “I can’t wait until college, I’m going as far away from here as I can go.”  


Nicole panicked they were just starting their junior year and hadn’t talked about what they were going to do when they graduated “What college are you thinking of attending?”  


I’ve been looking at UCSD.”  


“Where is that?”  


“University of California, San Diego it’s a good school and better then that it is far away from here.”  


Nicole was quiet for a long moment “California” the sadness she felt being heard in her voice  


Waverly looked at the blue-eyed girl “Nicole you know I don’t want to leave you, but I have to get away from Mother.”  


Nicole stared into the face of her best friend, trying to imagine what life will be like without her. She couldn’t imagine going a day without seeing the brunette, but she knew that Waverly needed to go. If she was going to survive she needed to get away from her mother. “I’ll go with you, I’m not set on any college and if UCSD is good enough for you than it’s good to me” Waverly looked shocked “Nicole I can’t ask you to leave your family.”  


“Do you not want me to go?”  


“Of course Nicole, you are my best friend. Would you really leave your family and follow me to California?”  


“Waverly, it’s not like I would never see my family again, I can come back on breaks and it’s only four years. Besides I” Nicole froze, realizing what she was about to say. Waverly looked at her confused “love California I mean, come on sunshine, beaches, and year-long warm weather what’s not to love. Waverly face broke out into a huge smile and she hugged the blue-eyed girl knocking her over, squeezing her between her body and the mattress. Nicole couldn’t help but notice how good Waverly felt lying on top of her, then the brunette began to kiss her, the rest of the night they spent kissing and whispering plans for the future.  


While Waverly slept the blue-eyed girl lay awake holding the brunette and thinking about what she was about to say. Shocked when she realized that she was about to say “I love you” they had told each other that they loved each other in the past, especially if it was going to be a few days until they were going to be together again. Tonight however when Nicole almost voiced her feelings, it wasn’t the friend love as it had always been in the past Nicole knew that had she said the words she was saying that she was in love with the brunette.

Nicole sat up when she heard Shae announce that she was ready to go to the party “about time.”  


“Hey it’s not easy to look this good it takes time and a lot of hard work.”  


Rosita pulled Nicole into a hug as they were walking in the door “I was worried you weren’t going to make it.”  


“We would have been here sooner, but apparently it takes forever to reach this kind of perfection.” Nicole pointed at Shae, who smacked her “Oh shut up” Shae said blushing. Rosita led them into the living room “There’s food in the kitchen, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well make yourself at home.” She yelled over the music that was blaring through the house.  


Nicole turned to Shae “Would you like a drink?”  


“A rum and coke would be great.”  


When Nicole walked into the kitchen see saw Waverly dressed as a softball player, talking to Dolls as soon as the brunette spotted the red head woman she stopped speaking and her mouth fell open. Nicole walked to the counter, acting like she didn’t notice the effect she was having on Waverly. Dolls was the first one to speak up “Hot damn Nicole, you look amazing, the biker chick thing works for you.”  


Nicole laughed “Thank you, boss” she turned to Waverly who no longer had the shocked look on her face “hello Waverly”  


“Hello Nicole, nice costume.”  


“Thanks” Nicole smiled “I like the irony of your uniform.”  


“I thought it was clever. Did you bring someone?” Waverly asked, looking at the two drinks in Nicole hands.  


“Yes, my friend Shae I should probably deliver her drink, talk to you both later.”  


The party had actually been fun, Nicole was glad she went even if she didn’t have another chance to talk with the brunette. She was driving Shae home “you know if looks could kill I would be dead.”  


“What are you talking about?” Nicole glanced at Shae.  


“Waverly was shooting daggers at me all night, did you forget to mention to her that we are not dating.”  


“I told her you were my friend, we didn’t talk much tonight.”  


“Well she couldn’t keep her eyes off you, and sent glares my way all night. If I was to guess I’d say she’s not over you either.”  


“You are imagining things, there’s nothing to get over, and she hates me.”  


Shae looked at Nicole but didn’t say anything she just hoped that the two women would find their way back to one another for her friend’s sake.


	10. Chapter 10

For the last forty-five minutes Waverly has been pacing her living room trying to work up the courage to call Nicole. She has dialed the blue-eyed girl’s number at least twenty times and hanging up each time before hitting the send button. “Oh for fuck’s sake” she said hitting the send button at last.

Part of Waverly hoped that she wouldn’t answer, about to disconnect the call a sleepy Nicole answered “Hello”

“Hello Nicole, its Waverly I didn’t mean to wake you I can call back later.”

“No it’s okay, I dozed off on the couch watching TV I’m not used to staying up late anymore. What’s up?”

Nicole dressed in tight leather pants that hugged her hips, a black leather vest that barely covered the red lacy bra that she had been wearing, and black boots flashed into Waverly mind. Nicole could definitely pull off biker chick, clearing her head, she began speaking fast afraid she would lose her nerve “I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind coming over. I would like to talk about what happened ten years ago.”

When only silence came from the other end of the phone Waverly checked her phone to make sure the call was till connected. “Nicole?”

“Sorry, I’m here. Yes I will come over, just say when.”

“Well I was thinking, how about this afternoon if you don’t have anything else planned.”

“No I don’t have plans, does three work for you?”

Waverly gave the blue-eyed girl her address plopping down on the couch after hanging up. She had about two hours before Nicole would be here. Here in her apartment, together alone, the battle of emotions between her heart and head were making her dizzy. She decided to pick up a little instead of sitting still with the feelings. She was just finishing the living room when she heard what sounded like a motorcycle pull into her driveway. Waverly went to the window to see who it was not expecting Nicole yet; the rider was wearing a helmet and leather chaps over jeans and a leather jacket. Watching the tall figure getting off the bike she assumed that whoever the rider was had the wrong location. Her mouth falling open when the rider removed her helmet and started to shake out her hair. “Oh my god” was all she could say when she realized the rider was Nicole. She watched as Nicole took off the leather chaps revealing a pair of lose jeans that looked just as good on her as the tight leather pants from last night. Placing the chaps into the bags on the back she strapped the helmet on top of the bag.

After a few minutes Nicole knocked on the door, Taking a deep breath and walking to the door, shaking her head trying to clear the muddled mush her brain had become watching the tall red head on the bike she opened the door blurting out the first thing that came to mind “You really have a motorcycle?”

Nicole smiled “Well actually it’s a Harley, but yea, this is probably one of the last nice days for a while so I took the opportunity.”

“So last night, the biker chick look wasn’t a costume you’re actually a biker chick.”

“Yea I guess I am. It was an easy go to costume last-minute.” Nicole said, smiling remembering the way Waverly’s mouth fell open when Nicole walked into the room.

Waverly just stood there not knowing what to say or do, remembering how good Nicole looked getting off the motorcycle. Nicole’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts “May I come in?”

“Oh yes, I’m sorry.” She said stepping to the side so Nicole could come in.

“No problem, this is a cute little place you have.”

Thanks, would you like something to drink.” Waverly led Nicole into the living room “water would be great.” Nicole took a seat on the couch while Waverly went to get her water.

Both women had sat in silence when Waverly was the first to speak “I want to tell you why I ran away.”

“I’m listening”

10 years ago; age 17  
It was the last day of school, Waverly had one more class to attend before summer began, and she was cleaning out her locker now so that after class she could leave to meet Nicole. It had been a strange day, everywhere she went there would be groups of students huddled together whispering, as soon as, she would walk near them, they would stop and stare at her. 

She reached up on the top shelf of her locker making sure that there wasn’t anything left when she heard “Oh look did mommy punish you again; what is wrong with you that your own mom doesn’t love you. That she would rather use you as a sex toy than love you.” Waverly froze; she turned to see Chrissy the head cheerleader looking at her with a smug smirk.

“What?” Waverly said in disbelief, looking to see if anyone had heard Chrissy. It appeared that the entire school was in the hallway, staring at her, waiting for what she said.

Chrissy took a step towards Waverly, she tried to take a step back but was trapped between Chrissy and her locker. Chrissy looked her up down with disgust I know all your secrets, it’s disgusting the things you let them do to you.”

Waverly was frozen, all she could say was “How?”

At this Chrissy smirked “Did you really think Nicole was keeping your secrets?”

Waverly went white “No she wouldn’t tell.”

Chrissy laughed taking another step towards her, they were almost touching “You really believe she loves you, that she keeps your secrets.” Chrissy continued getting louder as the crowd in the hallway continues to grow. Waverly tries to shove past Chrissy before the tears she is holding back fall, Chrissy blocks her way “Nicole and I have a good laugh at how pathetic you are she can’t wait until she’s free from you."

Waverly pushes past her and walks into the school counselor Mrs. Parker who was walking up to break up whatever was going on. She hoped that the counselor had not heard what was said but when she looked into her face the look of pity and concern that was looking back at her told her that she had. She tried to walk around the counselor when the counselor reached out, gently taking her arm “Waverly can I have a word with you in my office please.

Waverly panicked “I need to get to class” she blurted out. “I’m sorry this cannot wait, I need you to follow me to my office now. Waverly keeps her head down as she follows Mrs. Parker to her office, trying to ignore the stares from her classmates along the way. When she enters the office Mrs. Parker ask her if she would like a drink, she just shakes her head no wanting to get out of here as fast as possible.

“Waverly it’s been brought to my attention that you are being abused at home, is this true?”

Waverly doesn’t answer; thinking sadly “brought to your attention, it has been brought to the whole schools attention, thanks to Chrissy. No that’s not true thanks to Nicole.” Here heart breaking with the realization that her whole relationship with Nicole had been a lie. Her one friend on this planet wasn’t her friend at all. She just sits there looking at the floor what deciding that she is not going to say anything enough had been said anyway. When she hears the counselor say “I’m going to have to report this to Department of Child Services.”

She finally speaks “Please don’t, it’s not that bad honest.”

“Waverly I have no choice but to call, she says as she picks up the phone.” Waverly remains in the counselor’s office for the remaining of class, when she hears the bell that signals schools dismissed for the summer she asks if she can go.

“I’m sorry Waverly you are going to have to wait here until the case worker from Department of Child Services arrives.”

“May I use the restroom?”

“Yes, but come right back here.”

Waverly walks out of the counselor office, leaving her book bag even though she has no intention of returning to the office, she heads for the door that leads out to the parking lot. Wanting to get away as fast as possible before Department of Child Services arrives. While sitting in the counselor’s officer Waverly feelings of scared and sad began to change to anger. Her anger at Chrissy, Nicole, and her Mother growing to a raging point. She didn’t think twice when she decided to leave, she was going to escape today and never look back.

“Well you know the rest I went home, backed my bag, and left before Department of Child Services showed up at my door.” Waverly finished watching Nicole who had not said a word the entire time she talked. Nicole just continue to sit there, no expression on her face to let Waverly know what she was thinking or feeling. After several minutes Waverly could not take the silence anymore asking the question that for ten years she had wonder what the answer was “Nicole, how could you tell Chrissy?”

At this Nicole snapped out of the trance she was in turning slowly and looking at Waverly for the first time. Her bright blue eyes had turn dark almost cloudy looking Waverly recognizing the change. Whenever Nicole was mad her eyes changed to almost a gray color, the storm inside her reflecting out through her eyes. After several seconds Nicole finally spoke “How could I have told Chrissy? How could you think I would tell Chrissy?”

“How else would she have known, she said you told?”

“You believed her?” Nicole sprang out of her seat and began to pace the living room “Waverly you knew that Chrissy and I hated each other. Why would I have told her?” Nicole’s voice rising with each word.

“You were the only one that knew, how else did she know?” Waverly’s voice rising as well

“I was not the only one that knew, did you ever think that maybe Wynonna told her?”

“Wynonna” Waverly hadn’t thought of her sister in years “Why would Wynonna tell her? They didn’t talk.”

Nicole stopped pacing staring at Waverly “What? They were sleeping together Waverly; everyone knew that you can’t tell me you didn’t know.”

“They what?”

Nicole started pacing again, not able to sit still “They were, but that doesn’t matter, what matters is that you didn’t think to ask me.” Tears starting to fill Nicole’s eyes.

“I had to get away before Department of Child Services arrived, I couldn’t take another one of Mother’s punishments. How did I know you didn’t tell her?”

“You could have asked!” The tears finally falling down her cheeks, she stopped pacing at looked right at Waverly. Wanting the green-eyed girl to see the hurt in her eyes, wanting her to know just how much pain she had caused her. She took a deep breath before talking again, lowering her voice to just above a whisper “I was in love with you I would have followed you anywhere, I would of left that day with you. I spent weeks, no years looking for you. Everywhere I went I looked for you, I spent years scared that something had happened to you.” The tears began to fall faster, Nicole wiped them away taking a deep breath needing to say this before she completely fell apart. “Every day I beat myself up trying to figure out what I had done to make you leave. You didn’t just break my heart you crushed it, I didn’t think I was ever going to get over you and now I find out that I didn’t do anything.” Her voice raising again “That you listened to that bitch instead of asking me.” Nicole turned so quickly and stormed out of the house slamming the door behind her that it was several seconds before Waverly’s brain caught up and realized that Nicole had left. She jumped up reaching the door just in time to hear Nicole’s motorcycle engine roar to life. Jerking the door open she saw Nicole peal out of the drive and speed down the street.

Waverly stood in the middle of her porch, shocked to learn that it was her sister who had told. How long had they been sleeping together, why would she tell. These were questions that she would never be able to ask her as she died of a drug overdose four years ago. She went back in the house, softly closing the door and walking over to the couch. She fell onto the couch closing her eyes replaying the conversation over in her head. Snapping upright when Nicole’s words registered in her brain “I was in love with you….” Exhausted and more confused now than before she put her face in her hands she didn’t stop the tears that began to fall “what the hell just happened, Wynonna, what the hell did you do, what the hell did I do?”

Waverly arrived to work Monday morning, nervous to face Nicole. She had stayed up all night replaying the conversation as well as what had happened ten years ago in her mind. Trying to figure out if there was any way she could have known ten years ago that Nicole hadn’t told. The only conclusion she could come up with was that she should have asked Nicole instead of assuming. She walked into her cubicle surprised that there wasn’t a cup of coffee waiting for her, this either meant that Nicole was mad at her or she wasn’t at work yet. Waverly walked past Nicole’s cubicle; she could tell that the blue-eyed girl hadn’t arrived to work yet.  
She spent the morning making calls to her foster parents, checking in on the kids; every time the elevator doors would open she would look to see if Nicole had arrived. At noon she decided to leave for lunch, she wasn’t able to focus on her work anyway, she logged off her computer, and went to lunch. Waverly sat outside for lunch, not touching her food; she was getting angrier at herself for not trusting Nicole.

The brunette returned to the office wanting to apologize to Nicole for not trusting her ten years ago, she walked to the blue-eyed girl’s cubicle and was again surprised that she wasn’t there and it hadn’t appeared that she had been there. Waverly assumed that Nicole was out of the office today either doing home visits or court appearance. She would have to wait until tomorrow to talk to her again.

By Friday Nicole still hasn’t arrived to work and Waverly was getting worried, she walked into Dolls’s office Friday afternoon “Hey boss can I talk to you a minute?”

“Sure thing, what’s going on?”

“Is everything alright with Nicole, I noticed she hasn’t been at work all week.”

“As far as I know everything is alright, she called early Monday morning asking for the week off after her court hearings were complete on Monday. She had mentioned something about needing time to take care of something things with her family.”

“Thanks boss”

She walked back to her cubicle worried that something had happened to Christine, she decided that she would call Nicole tonight when she got home.


	11. Chapter 11

Nicole walked through her door Friday evening sore and exhausted, after leaving Waverly’s house last weekend her mom called letting her know that she was being discharged from the hospital Monday morning. She had called Aaron asking for the week off so that she could help her father, rearrange the house so that her mom could move around easier, her mom now need to use a walker, and couldn’t climb stairs until she regained her strength. Nicole and her father spent all week moving their bedroom from upstairs to the spare room on the main level. Of course Christine knew that something was bothering Nicole, she also knew that it had to do with Waverly. She decided not to push her daughter into talking knowing that she would talk when she was ready. 

Nicole was glad to have the excuse to not have to face Waverly, she was still as angry as she was when Waverly first told her as well as hurt. She didn’t want to think about Waverly anymore tonight so she decided to get an early night sleep, she picked up her phone and saw that Waverly had called and left a message, Nicole decided not to listen to the message tonight, just wanting to sleep. She undressed and crawled into bed, but no matter how hard she tried to keep the blonde from entering her thoughts, it was her only thought. 

The next morning Nicole listened to Waverly’s voicemail “Hey Nicole, this is Waverly. I hope everything is okay with your mom; I would really like to talk to you. Please call me.” 

Nicole wasn’t ready to talk to Waverly, so instead she called Kelly, Casey’s foster mom. Casey’s case didn’t get assigned to her, but she felt drawn to the little girl, she didn’t think about the reasons to much mostly because the main reason was that the girl reminded her of Waverly. She had been in contact with Kelly every few days, checking in on Casey making sure she had everything she needed. After the two women had been talking for a while, Kelly asked “Why don’t you come over for lunch?”

“I would love too, as long as you think Casey would be alright with it.”

“She will be just fine, how about eleven?”

“Sounds perfect” Nicole hung up the phone suddenly feeling a lot better than she did when she woke up. She started getting ready so that she had enough time to stop by the store before going to visit Casey. Nicole walked up and down the toy aisle not able to decide what to buy the girl every so often she would pick up a toy, thinking this is the one until she found another one that could be the perfect toy. She settled on a stuff dog that sang the alphabet, counted to twenty, and sang songs “it’s cute and educational.” Not meaning to say that out loud she jumped when she heard someone behind her say “Oh I got that for my son, he loves it I am sure your child will love it too.” Nicole started to respond that it wasn’t for her child but instead just said “Thank you, I hope so” she went to pay for the toy very excited to see the three year old brunette. 

Nicole knocked on Kelly’s door feeling both excited and nervous, she held the toy for Casey in her hand hoping that the little girl like it. Kelly answered the door “Hey, come on in.” 

“Thanks for inviting me” she showed Kelly the toy “I hope she likes it.”

“I’m sure she will” Kelly led Nicole to the playroom where Casey was sitting in the middle of the floor not playing with any of the toys “just don’t be hurt if she doesn’t play with it.”

“What do you mean?” Nicole stopped not wanting to enter the room until her and Kelly talked.

“She doesn’t play with toys, I’ve tried to get her to, let her know that she’s allowed to touch them, she looks at them like she’s interested but doesn’t interact with them.” 

Nicole walked into the room and again was amazed at how similar Casey was to Waverly, not just the emotions in her eyes, but the color of her hair, the color of her eyes, and the shy way she looked at you. Nicole sat down next to Casey “Hello, Casey I’m Nicole, do you remember me?” Casey looked at her, almost studying her then she climbed into Nicole’s lap. The red head's heart melted when the little brunette laid her head against her chest, she wrapped her arms around the girl feeling the same instinct to protect this child as she did so many years ago sitting in the creek with Waverly  
.   
“I brought you a gift” pulling the stuff dog out, the little girls eyes lit up when she saw the dog. Nicole pushed the dogs paw and it started singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star causing the little girl to smile. Nicole handed the toy to the little girl, who held it away from her like it was a foreign object so Nicole pushed the dog’s paw again showing Casey how to make him sing. The girl just sat there looking from Nicole to the dog that’s when it dawned on Nicole, Casey didn’t know how to play. The poor girl has more than likely never had toys she looked at Kelly “She doesn’t know how to play.”

Kelly nodded sadly “That’s what I suspected, I’m going to work with her and teach her how to play with toys.”

Nicole decided right than to make it a weekly visit for nothing more than to come and play with Casey “If you don’t mind I would like to visit at least once a week, just to play with her. I can get you information on teaching a child to interact with objects, such as toys.”

“That would be wonderful, you are welcome anytime.”

Nicole stayed until Casey was asleep, her and Kelly agree that Sunday’s at lunchtime would be a good time for both of them for her to visit. Nicole decides to stop by her parents’ house to say hello and see how her mom is doing. While driving Nicole started making a list of toys and games she is slowly going to introduce to Casey, she could have a therapist do this, but she wanted to be the one to show the little girl all the fun toys could be.

She walked into her parents’ house, and found her mom sitting in the sunroom “Hey mom”

“Hi sweetie”

“How are you feeling?”

“Much better now that I’m out of that hospital, I thought I was going to go crazy if I had to stay there one more day. What have you been up to today?”

Nicole sat down next to her mom, “Nothing much, went and visited with one of the kids who are a ward.”

“You’re working on Sunday?”

“It wasn’t work; she’s not on my case.”

“You did a home visit on a case that is not yours?”

“She’s not just a case, she’s special.”

Nicole laid her head in her mom’s lap stretching out on the couch. Christine ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair waiting for her to start talking after about five minutes Nicole said “It’s her eyes.”

“Whose eyes?”

“Casey’s, mom when I look at her I see the same hurt that Waverly had. She’s only three and has gone through more shit” her mom smacked her in the head “ouch, sorry mom, stuff than most adults. She doesn’t even know how to play with toys.”

“You will be good for her. Speaking of Waverly how is that going?”

At this Nicole stood up and began pacing “Well for starters she told me why she disappeared.”

Her mom nodded, waiting for Nicole to continue “Chrissy, the royal” seeing her mom’s eye brows raise “well you know. Anyway, Chrissy said some stuff to her on the last day of class, told her it was me that told her. Waverly believed her, instead of asking me about it, she just took Chrissy of all people for her word and disappeared.”

Christine watched her daughter pacing “I know”

Nicole stopped pacing “How do you know?”

“Waverly stopped by the hospital to visit.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that Waverly had stopped by?”

“She asked me not too, after she told me why she left I let her know that I didn’t believe you had told Chrissy. I think she needed time to think, it was her that needed to tell you not me. How do you feel now that you know?”

“I’m angry and hurt, how could she believe that bitch” Nicole sent an apologetic look at her mom “why didn’t she come to me?” 

“I don’t know exactly what was going through Waverly’s mind at the time, but I’m sure she reacted out of fear. Everyone had hurt her in some way, it was easier to believe that you hurt her than to not to. Fear makes people do crazy stuff.”

“I don’t know if I can forgive her mom, for ten years I have been blaming myself, worried sick about what had happened to her, only to find out that I hadn’t done anything wrong. How do I forgive her for that?”

“I’m not saying what she did was right, or that forgiveness is easy. The question you are going to have to decide is are you willing to continue to live without her in your life or are you willing to forgive her and have her be a part of your life?”

“I don’t know mom.”

“Well the good news is you don’t have to decide right now, take your time, process this, and when you feel like you can forgive her you will.”

Christine sat for a long time after her daughter had left, thinking about the two girls. Her heart breaking for them just like it did ten years ago.

6 months after Waverly disappeared  
“What do you mean there is no trace of her, she didn’t just vanish” 

“Ma’am, it’s almost like she vanished we have record of her buying two bus tickets one to Miami and the other to San Diego.”

“Okay, so go to Miami and San Diego and look for her that’s what I’m paying you for.”

The private investigator that Christine hired to find the blonde shook his head, “No you don’t understand she bought the tickets but never boarded the buses. It seems that she bought them hoping that it would lead anyone looking for her to a dead end.”

Christine stared at the PI in disbelief “how do you know she never got on the buses?”

“I personally reviewed the security videos of both busses, no one even coming close to fitting the girls’ description got on the bus. I’m sorry but until another lead pops up there’s nothing more I can do.” 

Christine walked out of the PI’s office with tears in her eyes. It’s been six months since Waverly ran away and Nicole was still just as devastated as she was the day she came home after finding the note. Her heart was breaking for her daughter who had spent every free moment she had looking for her friend. Until a month ago when all of a sudden she just shut down, quit looking for the blonde, quit smiling, and quit living. Christine had to do something so she hired the PI hoping he could find the blonde. Now she didn’t know what to do. 

She walked into her house at first she thought that everyone was gone until she heard her daughter crying. She opened her daughter bed room door and the sight broke her heart even more, Nicole was sitting on the floor, with tears streaming down her face. Christine went to her and wrapped her in her arms wishing more than anything that she could take the pain away. 

“Mom, where is she? Why won’t she contact me?” Nicole choked out between sobs. 

“Honey, I don’t know, I wish I knew.”

“What did I do?”

“Nicole I’m not sure why Waverly left but I’m sure it wasn’t anything you did.”

Christine was able to talk Nicole into getting into bed, she laid there and held her daughter until the tears stopped and exhaustion set in. 

Christine had never believed in soul mates but if she were too believe then she knew without a doubt that Nicole and Waverly were soul mates. She believed that they would find their way back to each other. She wished there was something she could do to take away the hurt that both women were going through but also knowing that they had to work this out themselves.


	12. Chapter 12

Waverly beat out the last notes on her keyboard saving the file “Are you trying to break your keyboard?” Waverly turned to see Rosita looking at her “Hey Rosita what’s up?”

“Nothing much, we haven’t talked since my party, want to go to dinner?”

“Sure, just let me log off and gather my things.”

They decided to walk to the small diner down the street from the office, enjoying the crisp fall air. “I hope it’s not going to be a bad winter” Waverly held the door open for Rosita. 

“I read that it’s not supposed to be, but who knows.” Rosita led Waverly to a table in the corner “I’ve missed hanging out with you.” 

“Same here, I hate this time of year our workloads double.” Waverly placed her order thinking about how Halloween was in three days, usually they didn’t get over loaded with new cases until after Halloween, but it seems to have started early this year. Holidays were always busier for the department with parents under more stress they had more calls about kids being left alone, or suspicion of abuse. Most cases that were opened during the holiday season usually closed pretty quickly.  
They were half way through dinner when Waverly heard a laugh that she would recognize anywhere, without looking she knew the Nicole was in the restaurant. She hoped that the blue-eyed girl wouldn’t see her, doubting that if she did she would say anything to her. It had been a couple of weeks since they talked and Nicole has not made any attempt to speak to Waverly again. Waverly had left multiple messages but after not getting a response she quit calling. 

“Hey look there’s Nicole” before Waverly could stop her Rosita was waving Nicole over “Hello Nicole, How are you?”

“I’m good, you remember my friend Shea.” Nicole said putting her arm around the woman.

“Hello” Waverly said to both of them.

“What are you guys up to tonight?”

“Just having dinner” Waverly looked from Nicole to Shea thinking they made a cute couple “What about you two?”

“The same” 

“Oh I know” All eyes turned to Rosita “We should go to a haunted house tonight, we are about done with dinner. How about you guys?”

Nicole was about to decline when Shea answered first “Oh that sounds fun, we were just leaving.” She turned to Nicole “What do you say let’s go.” Nicole just nodded knowing any excuse she would give Shea would see through. They all headed out Shea and Nicole was going to follow the other women to the haunted house. 

Waverly sat quietly in the car wondering how the night had turned out this way, she had tried to come up with an excuse to get out of it. 

“Why are you so quiet, you love haunted house.”

Waverly looked at Rosita like she had a second head “No I don’t, you love them and choose to torture me by dragging me along every year.”

“At least the company will be better this year, maybe she will protect you” Rosita says winking at her.

“I believe she will be protecting her girlfriend” 

Rosita noticed the hit of jealousy in Waverly’s voice “I don’t think they are dating, Nicole always introduces her as her friend.” Rosita was coming up with a plan, she would have to get Shea alone she would need her help. 

Once they arrived Rosita quickly grabbed Shea's arm leading her towards the ticket both “I’ll buy, you two wait here while we get the tickets.”

“We can come” Both Nicole and Waverly said, neither wanting to be alone with the other.

“No reason for all of us to stand in line, you two wait at those tables” Rosita and Shea quickly walked away. 

“So are you and Nicole dating?” Rosita was quick to point not having a lot of time. 

“No, we are just friends. We dated once but her heart belongs to someone else.” 

“Oh good” She looked at Shea about to apologize but Shea spoke first “So what’s the plan to get our friends together?” Rosita smiled liking the other woman more; they then spent the rest of the time in line coming up with a plan to get Nicole and Waverly alone together. 

“Why do I have a feeling our friends are up to no good” Waverly mumbled as she led Nicole to an empty picnic table near the bomb fire.

“Oh I don’t know maybe because they are as subtle as a train wreck” 

Waverly laughed “Well nothing Rosi does is subtle.”

The women sat in silence for several minutes Waverly was about to speak when the blue-eyed girl spoke first “Look Waverly we both know that I am only here because of Shea” Nicole saw the other women coming their way “here they come.” 

“Well it won’t be long before we know their plan” Waverly could tell by the look on Rosita’s face that she was up to something. Sure enough it didn’t take long, just as the two women arrived to the table Shea said “You will never believe it but just as Rosita bought two tickets for her and Waverly my phone rang, its work I have to run.” Nicole was about to say she would leave with her when Rosita spoke “So I told her that I would give her a ride, you and Nicole can have my tickets.” She looked at Waverly who only just put her head in her hand, knowing there was no point in arguing.

“What? No it’s fine I’ll go with her, you were the one wanting to do this.”

“No No its fine, Waverly’s the one that really like’s haunted houses I just join her.” 

Waverly glared at Rosita before she could say anything Rosita was handing her tickets pulling her into a hug whispering “talk.” Shea did the same to Nicole and the two walked quickly away. 

“What the hell just happened?”

Waverly stood up “we can always just leave” feeling both relieved and disappointed. 

Nicole stood there not looking at Waverly battling with herself, she didn’t want to be around Waverly but she did love haunted houses “well since we are here and we both love haunted houses we should stay but this does not mean that I have forgiven you.”

Waverly groaned she wanted to spend time with the blue-eyed girl but she did not love haunted houses “I understand so where are we starting?” 

Waverly nerves were shot “why do I keep doing this to myself” she groaned as she waited in line for the haunted hay ride. Nicole had gone to get drinks, the blonde was thankful to have a few minutes away from her. They hadn’t said more than a few words to each other, every time Waverly had tried to start up a conversation Nicole would quickly stop the conversation. She overheard the couple in front of her talking about their plans for the holidays, she hated the holidays another thing that Mother was able to ruin for her. 

19 years ago; age 8  
Waverly and her dad had spent the day decorating the Christmas tree she hadn’t had that much fun ever. Her dad had left for work shortly after they were done, no sooner did her dad walk out the door Mother started drinking. She was looking at the tree smiling remembering how her dad had lifted her up so that she could put the star on the top of the tree. Lost in the memory she didn’t hear Mother walk up behind her “what are you smiling at” she grabbed her by the hair dragging her over to the tree “do you think you deserved this?”

Waverly didn’t answer quickly enough causing Mother to smack her across the face “answer me now girl.”

“No ma’am” 

“What do you deserve?”

“To be punished” Waverly knew that she had done the one thing that would cause Mother to punish her no matter what, she had looked happy. 

Mother smiled “Yes you deserve to be punished. How should I punish you?” 

Waverly didn’t answer knowing that was a question that didn’t require an answer. This was part of Mother’s game, the planning the punishment. She was looking at the tree when she smiled bending down to be face to face with Waverly “We will see how much you like this tree after your punishment.”

Waverly could smell the alcohol on Mother’s breathe but didn’t flinch only watching as Mother grabbed a glass ornament off the tree. She was confused not knowing what Mother planned to do when all of a sudden Mother smashed the glass ornament on the top of her head. Waverly could feel the glass cutting into her head, one after another Mother would grab an ornament and then smash it on her head. Each ornament hurt more than the one before it as the glass was pounded into her head, blood slowly started to trickle down her face. She didn’t move to wipe it nor did she allow her mother to see the hurt in her eyes. 

After what felt like forever but was only thirty minutes Mother had broken all the glass ornaments on Waverly’s head she went into her bedroom to pass out. As she walked by Waverly she patted her on top of the head causing the shards of glass to dig in farther “how do you like your tree now” not waiting for Waverly to answer before slamming her bedroom door. 

Waverly jumped smacking Nicole hand, not hearing the blue-eyed girl walk back up to her and say her name she was startled when she felt someone shaking her. Nicole recognizing the look in her eyes “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing” 

Nicole seeing that she was shaking gently took her arm, leading her out of line, and away from the crowds. She tried to pulled out of Nicole’s grasp “honestly I’m okay, let’s get back in line.”

“No, you don’t even like haunted houses” Nicole finally stopped when they were alone turning to look at Waverly.

“Yes I do”

“Uh huh that’s why you have looked as pale as a ghost and have made me go first all night. I was pretty sure you were going to faint after the last one.”

Waverly couldn’t argue even after not being together for ten years Nicole could still read her better than anyone else “I’m sorry”

“Don’t apologize but don’t lie either. Are you ready to leave?” Waverly just nodding as they started to walk towards the car. 

At first they drove each in their own thoughts when they were almost to Nicole’s the blue-eyed girl asked “want to talk about what you were thinking about in line?”  
Waverly didn’t answer right away, for ten years she hadn’t talked to anyone about her past. This wasn’t just anyone though, out of anyone Nicole would know exactly what Waverly was talking about. Pulling into the parking lot of Nicole’s apartment she decided she was tired of not talking.

“I was remembering the first year Mother had smashed ornaments on my head as a punishment.” 

Nicole remember that day like it had just happened yesterday, it was the first night that the blonde had snuck through her bedroom window.

19 years ago; age 8  
Nicole walked into her room flipping on the light having just come from taking a shower she jumped when she saw someone move in the corner of her room. It didn’t take long for her to know it was Waverly or to tell that something was wrong but she was not prepared for what she saw when the blonde turned to face her.  
Waverly stood there with a mixture of dried tears and blood covering her face “I’m sorry I” she couldn’t finish as the sobs took over. Nicole went to her wrapping her arms around the girl “It’s okay, don’t apologize.” After the tears stopped Nicole let go of her “I’ll be right back.”

Waverly looked panicked “No don’t tell anyone.” 

“I’m not I’m going to go get a wet rag to wash your face” Nicole quietly shut her bedroom door turning and running right into her mom “Nicole who were you talking to?”

“Oh um, no one I was talking to myself.”

Her mom looked at her than said “Okay well its bedtime honey”

“Okay mom, I just have to use the bathroom first” giving her mom a quick hug and kissing, telling her good night not wanting her to come in the room later. She watched her mom walk back down the hallway than went to the bathroom. Returning to her bedroom she was worried that Waverly would have left when she heard her mom outside the door but the blonde was still in her room hiding in the corner. When Waverly saw it was Nicole coming back into the room she sat back in the chair.  
Nicole gently washed the blondes face noticing the shivers of glass in the girl’s hair “Waves what happened?”

“Mother punished me.”

“How?”

“Breaking Christmas ornaments on my head.”

Nicole starting picking the glass out of her hair, apologizing when she saw her flinch after an hour she was sure she had gotten all the glass. “Waves how did you get in my room?”

Waverly looked away, the blue-eyed girl saw the embarrassment in her face “Waves I’m glad you came here, you can come here anytime you want, I was just curious.”  
“I climbed through your window; I didn’t want your parents to see me. I’m sorry”

“No it’s okay; you can climb in my window anytime.”

“I remember that night, that was the first night you climbed through my window.” Nicole put her hand on the blondes arm, feeling the need to comfort her and remove the pain from the passed from her eyes. Waverly just stared into Nicole’s eyes seeing the comfort that was there when they were younger. Without either of them realizing they were moving both were leaning towards each other just as their lips were about to meet a car door slammed bringing Nicole back to the present. The hurt and anger replaced the previous feeling stopping her in her tracks “I can’t.”

“Nic” 

“No, I can’t do this” the anger returning to her voice “you broke my heart once I will not allow you to do it again.” She got out of the car running to her apartment never looking back.


	13. Chapter 13

Nicole grabbed her notes and headed for the boardroom for the Friday meeting. Walking in she groaned when she saw the only empty seat was the one next to Waverly. She sat down turning the chair so her back was to the brunette. It had only been four days since they almost kissed but Nicole has thought of nothing else since. 

“Hello Nicole.” 

She responded with a quick hello not yet ready to talk to her. Luckily before Waverly could say anything else Dolls started the meeting. Nicole had two cases that he wanted updates on; one was going before the judge next week and would probably be closed with the children reunified with the parents. The other was a case that opened last week he wanted to know what the reunification plan involved and what was decided at the fact-finding hearing. 

Nicole was relieved that this meeting was short quickly walking out of the boardroom with Waverly right on her heels.

“Hey Nicole, wait a minute.”

Nicole continued to walk “I have a busy day” not wanting to have this discussion at work. Not wanting to have it at all, she was angry at Waverly as well as herself. It was too easy to fall back into those old feelings when she was around the brunette. She could feel her eyes on her back as she continued to walk to her cubicle releasing the breath she was holding when Waverly turned and walked in the other direction. Nicole’s phone started ringing the second she walked into her cubicle “please do not be another case” she whispered before answer the phone. “Department of Child Services, this is Nicole Haught. How may I help you?” 

“Nicole? Wow you sound so professional.” 

“Mom? Are you okay? Is dad okay?” Nicole began to panic her parents never called her on her work phone always calling her cell. 

“Calm down, everything is okay. I tried calling your cell but it kept going to voicemail and I wanted to talk to you not your voicemail.”

Nicole laughed pulling her phone from her pocket “Mom I turned it off for the meeting, the voicemail is meant for you to leave a message and then I will call you back.” 

“Yea, but I wanted to talk to you now.”

Nicole knew there was no point in continuing this discussion “Okay mom, you got me what is so important you couldn’t leave a message.” 

“Thanksgiving” her mom said seriously

Nicole groaned “Mom, Thanksgiving is a month away, why does this need a discussion right now?”

“No it’s less than a month away.”

“Okay, but you need to take it slow. We do not need a feast for Thanksgiving.” Nicole’s mother loved to cook and what better reason to cook than the holidays, she always made enough food for a small army. 

“Pssh, cooking is taking it slow, besides you will help.”

Nicole knew she was stuck now “of course mom.” 

Nicole and her mom talked for a few more minutes with her promising that she would come over soon to go over the menu for Thanksgiving. Nicole had the feeling that her mom wanted to ask something else but she didn’t. After hanging up she heard someone clear their throat behind her turning to see Waverly standing there.  
“How is your mom doing?”

“She’s doing well, she’s home now.”

“That’s good” Waverly chewed on her lip before asking “can we talk?”

“No, I have home visits to go to” she walked out of the cubicle. She checked in with Dolls letting him know that she was going to complete her visit and if he didn’t have anything else for her to do she would just head home for the weekend. She walked to the elevators not looking in Waverly’s directions ready for a nice long weekend. 

The weekend had flown by the red head had visited her parents, completed some work around the apartment, and her visited with the tiny brunette who was slowly filling her heart. She was staring at the photo on her phone she smiled thinking back to her visit with the Casey. Nicole had snapped the photo after the girl had knocked over the tower of blocks that she had just stacked. The smile on the girls face brought joy to her heart now more than pain and emptiness there is joy and hope in Casey’s eyes. Lost in the memory of the little girl she jumped when someone tapped her on the shoulder 

“Sorry Nicole, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Dolls said

“No it’s okay, I was lost in thought.” Nicole slid her phone into her pocket.

“Anything you want to talk about?”

“No I’m good, do you need something boss?”

“Can you be in my office in fifteen minutes for a meeting?”

“Sure, do I need to bring anything?”

“Nope, it’s an informal meeting.” 

She watched him walk back to his office thinking about how she really enjoyed working for him and curious about this meeting. Exactly fifteen minute later she walked into his office surprised to see Waverly there, the look on the brunette’s face told her that she was just as surprised to see Nicole. The brunette was about to say something when Dolls let them know the reason for the meeting.

“We have an out of state relative placement the child is a ten year old boy named Tony, no history of abuse. The mother was sentence to twenty years for a felony drug charge and there is no family in their current state. The grandmother lives here and would like the child to reside with her. All paperwork is complete you would only have to go there pick him up and bring him here.” 

Nicole was still trying to figure out what this had to do with both Waverly and her. Having out of state placements weren’t uncommon but usually it was just one case worker who would transport the only reason there would be two is if “no way” Nicole didn’t mean to speak out loud. Waverly must have realized the reason that they were both sitting in his office at the same time Nicole did if her body language was any clue. “Dolls, you’ve conveniently left out the bit of information telling us where the child currently resides.” Waverly was the first to find her voice and ask the question. 

Dolls becoming aware of the tension between the two women looked from one to the other before continuing quickly “Well he currently resides in Del Rio.”  
Nicole released a breath of relief “Tennessee, that’s only a 12 hour roundtrip, down and back.”

Dolls shifted uncomfortably “Well actually it’s Del Rio, Texas”

“Texas!” Nicole groaned 

“That’s a 12 hour drive one way” the brunette said to no one in particular

“Actually it’s fourteen hours one way”

“There’s no one else that can go?” Nicole did not want to be in a car alone with the brunette.

“I’m sorry but everyone else has court appearances or cases that need to be followed up on. You two are completely caught up on your cases.”  
“When do we leave?” Waverly knew there was no point in arguing. 

“Wednesday, take two days to drive down there, a day there, and then two days back. You can take tomorrow off to get things ready also the department will issue you a travel card for all expenses.”

Nicole suddenly realized what was being said “wait, we are going to be gone Sunday?” her heart breaking at not being able to visit Casey. 

“He has to be picked up by Friday.”

Nicole just nodded making a mental note to call Kelly before she leaves. Once they had all the information they needed she quickly left his office heading back to her cubicle. Just as she sat down her cell rang, looking at the caller id she saw it was Shea calling the anger she was holding at bay exploded “What do you want?” she said angrily.

There was a long pause then “wow who pissed in your cheerios?” came the annoyed voice.

“You did when you pulled that stunt this weekend.”

“What?” Shea was confused for a moment then realized what Nicole was referring too “so I’m taking it things didn’t end well.”

“Look Shea there’s a lot that you don’t know, so I’d appreciated it if you” catching herself before she said something she would regret she didn’t finish her sentence. She knew the one she was angry at was Waverly and not the girl on the phone. She didn’t know the whole history between the two women so instead she said “Look Shea there’s a lot that happened between Waverly and I so can you please not play match maker.” 

“I’m sorry Nicole.” 

“I know, look I’m leaving to pick up an out of state placement when I get back lets hang out okay?”

They made plans to have dinner when Nicole returned. She logged off the computer and clean off her desk Dolls had given both her and Waverly the day off tomorrow to have time to prepare to leave Wednesday morning. Nicole didn’t have anything that needed to be done at the time so she was going to call it a day and head home. She decided to stop by Waverly’s cubicle to arrange what time they would meet Wednesday morning. Waverly was on the phone when she walked into her cubicle Nicole was going to leave when the brunette motioned for her to sit down signally that she would only be a few minutes. Nicole sat down watch Waverly while the brunettes back was turned to her fighting the flood of different emotions she felt right now. She had never been so angry at someone before but what was really frustrating was she would catch herself wanting to be near the brunette. She decided that during this trip she was going to get some answers to all the questions she wondered over the years. Waverly hung up the phone turning to look at Nicole “hey.”

“You are going to answer all my questions this trip, I’m not planning on forgiving you or being friends again but I need to know.”

Waverly looked at Nicole wondering what questions she had and if Waverly was ready to answer them. Nicole must have seen the hesitation in eyes “you don’t have a choice, after everything you put me through you owe me this.”

Waverly nodded agreeing that she did owe Nicole something “we will talk; I will explain whatever it is you need to know.” After arranging the details for the trip Nicole headed home needing to have time to herself before leaving on what she knew was going to be an emotionally straining trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took forever....life happens. Thanks for reading.

They drove four hours without speaking a word to one another, Waverly waited for Nicole to start the conversation. As she drove she thought of the last ten years she had been hurt and angry at Nicole. She still felt hurt and betrayed by the blue-eyed girl even after learning that her sister told Chrissy. Waverly had spent night after night pacing her living room. So many questions left unanswered. How did she not know about Wynonna and Chrissy? It never occurred to her that Wynonna had told, she was part of the secret. Why would she tell? She wanted the anger she held for so long towards Nicole to instead be directed at her sister. When the anger would start to come it only left her felling guilty. How was she supposed to be angry at her sister? Who went through the same childhood as she did, who couldn’t overcome it like she did and who the police found dead in an abandoned house. Waverly glanced over at the girl in the passenger seat, Nicole had her eyes closed but appeared to be awake. She tried to begin to explain so many times in the last four hours the words just wouldn’t come. She didn’t know if it was because she wanted to hang on to the belief she was justified in her years of anger toward the blue-eyed girl or the fear of facing the fact that she had been wrong and now Nicole hate her. 

“I’m going to stop and stretch, want me to stop anywhere specific?” she asked instead.

“No” responded the blue eyed girl never even opening her eyes. Waverly looked for a place to pull over and stretch she was trying to be patient, knowing Nicole wouldn’t talk until she wanted. Being honest with herself she didn’t want to talk but if they were to ever move on they would have to talk. 

Waverly stopped at a gas station no sooner than she shut the engine off Nicole got out of the car and walked into the gas station without saying a word to her. The green eyed girl mumbled “this will be a long trip” she knew Dolls didn’t do this on purpose, that he had no clue of the past between the two women. She got out of the car, stretching her legs and back, walked into the gas station. Nicole stood at the counter buying what appeared to be several bags of candy and chips. She walked right passed Waverly without so much as a glance; anyone in the gas station would assume they were complete strangers with the lack of acknowledgement. Waverly bought a few snacks herself, returning to the car she saw Nicole sitting in the driver set. She got in the car mustering up the courage to ask “Do you want to talk now?”

“No.” Nicole said as she turned up the radio, put the car in drive and pulled out of the gas station. Waverly reclined the chair, closing her eyes, not realizing how tired she felt until she relaxed into the seat. She didn’t know whether the flood of emotions she had been experiencing since finding out the truth or driving for the past four hours caused her to be exhausted so she allowed herself to fall asleep.

14years ago: Age 12  
Mother poured herself another glass of the amber liquid that Waverly hated whenever Mother drank the amber liquid she was in for a long night. Waverly quickly forced her dinner down if she didn’t eat every bite on her plate than Mother would have a reason to punish her. Her sister Wynonna sat across the table from her, eating her food as fast as she could. She wondered if she would stay home tonight or sneak out after going to bed. Most night’s she sneaks out and stays at a friend’s house, Mother used to punish both of them but more days now she focuses her attention on Waverly. She didn’t know if that was because she was smaller and Wynonna was getting bigger and stronger or because Mother hated her more than Wynonna. Some nights after drinking Mother would hug Wynonna, crying, asking her to forgive her something she never did with Waverly. Other than her games and punishments Mother never touched Waverly. 

She reached across the table for the ketchup when her arm knocked her glass of milk. In horror Waverly watched as the glass tipped over rolling off the edge of the table. Shattering into a million pieces, milk spilling out all over the table and onto the floor. The sound of the glass shattering on the floor sounded like an explosion in the quiet room. Mother jerk awake from her drunken stupor looking around she saw the broken glass and milk, Waverly immediately started to apologize getting up to clean it when Mother yelled “You fucking little ungrateful idiot don’t move” while struggling to stand up in her drunken condition. 

“I’m sorry, I’ll clean it” the green eye girl answered jumping up to grab a towel. 

“Don’t Move!!” Mother said as she stumbled towards Waverly fist balled. Waverly braced herself for the pain she knew she was about to receive when she heard a loud crash and the sound of breaking glass.

She looked towards the noise where she saw Wynonna’s plate on the floor shattered into a pieces her food scattered all over the floor. Mother stopped and looked at Wynonna heading her way instead “You little bitch, what do you think you are doing.”

“Waverly go to your room” Wynonna said just as Mother reached her. Waverly took off towards her room, shutting the door but not before she heard the sickening sound of Mother’s fist connecting with Wynonna’s face. 

Waverly slid down the door, sitting on the floor with tears running down her face. She could hear Mother yelling at Wynonna and the sounds of her hitting her, and her apologizing. After what felt like forever everything got quiet, afraid to move she remained sitting on the floor listening for the sounds of Mother heading towards her room expecting to receive her punishment. She worked up the nerve to peek open her door, she didn’t see or hear anyone so she crawled down the hallway. As she past the living room she froze her Mother was sitting on the couch and Waverly was afraid that her Mother saw her. After a few minutes the green eye girl realized that her mom had passed out, so she continued down the hallway wanting to check on Wynonna. She knocked on the door when no one answered she wondered if Wynonna had left so she slowly opened the door. She could see Wynonna sitting on her bed “Wynonna” she whispered.

“Go away Waverly”

She went into her room and shut the door, standing up she walked over to her. She turned away, wiping her eyes trying to hide the tears “Why did you do that?”

She turned and looked at her and Waverly could see her eye was swelling and knew that tomorrow it would be black and blue “I couldn’t let her hit you tonight. Be more careful Waverly, you know you can’t do things to give her a reason to punish you.” She reached under her bed pulling out the box holding her pills and alcohol she had stolen from Mother while she was drunk and wouldn’t notice. 

“Wynonna No please don’t!”

“Shut up Waverly, get out of my room.” she took a hand full of pills threw them in her mouth and washed them down with the bottle of alcohol, putting on her headphones and turning the music so loud that Waverly could hear it she laid down on her bed and closed her eyes. Waverly looked at her feeling guilty she took a punishment meant to be hers she left her room. 

The sounds of a phone ringing brought Waverly out of her dream, Nicole answered her phone “Nicole Haught speaking, how may I help you?” Waverly continued to watch Nicole other than being older Nicole looked just like she did as a teenager. “What? Can you wait until I return?” Not wanting to listen to what to be a private conversation she turned focusing her attention on the scenery passing by her dream coming back to her. It had been awhile since she has dreamed of her sister, or have even thought about her. Being around Nicole and finding out, it was her sister who had told has brought back all the memories, memories of her distracting Mother and taking a punishment meant for her, memories of her drinking or popping pills. When she left home she didn’t contact her until after finding out she had been arrested for theft while searching the news of her hometown.   
Nicole hung up the phone with a loud sigh, “Everything okay?” Waverly asked wondering about the sad expression on the blue-eyed girls face. Several moments passed before Nicole said a word “You remember Casey?” 

“Of course, the little girl we placed with Kelly, she is on Chelsea case load. Is she okay?”

“Overall yes, she’s doing as well as can be for a child who has gone through so much shit so young. That was Chelsea calling to tell me that they found a long-term placement for her.” 

“Well, that’s great” Waverly said when she noticed the sad emotions cross the other woman’s face. “Wait why is Chelsea calling you to let you about her placement?”

“I’ve been keeping up with Casey’s case and asked Chelsea to update me on her status. They wanted to move her to her new placement on Friday but I talk Chelsea into waiting until I get back.”

Waverly looked at the blue-eyed girl trying to figure out why she was so involved in Casey’s case she started to ask when Nicole spoke first. “I’m tired of driving, want to stop for dinner and to stretch?” 

“Sure” Waverly responded, letting the subject of Casey drop for now. The look on Nicole’s face meant she didn’t want to talk. Years ago the brunette would have pushed until her friend told her everything on her mind but they no longer shared that bond that would allow her to do that now.   
They found a little restaurant to stop at, finding a table in the corner and sitting quietly browsing the menu neither one talking until the waitress took their orders. Waverly lost in thought about her sister again was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Nicole’s voice “What were you dreaming about in the car?”

Waverly looked at her shocked that the blue-eyed girl knew she had been dreaming “How did you know I was dreaming?”

“If I have remembered anything about you it’s how you respond to having a dream especially a bad dream.” 

Waverly gave a small smiled not sure why the fact that Ashly remember this detail about her made her heart beat a little faster “My sister.”  
Nicole remained quiet for several minutes before saying “I went to her funeral, hoping that you would be there.” A painful look crossed the brunettes face “I wanted to go but I knew mother would be there. I had been gone for six years, was a grown woman with my own life, and was still afraid of her.”

“So the day you left was the last day you saw your sister?”

“No. Four years after I left I had graduated college and had just started working for Department of Child Services. I would occasionally browse the news sites for our hometown, mostly looking for Mother’s obituary. One day while surfing the site I came across a news article about Wynonna. She had been arrested for theft. Without thinking, I drove to the jail to visit her, she looked horrible. The drugs and alcohol had completely taken over her life.”

“So you went to visit her in jail but didn’t attend her funeral?” 

“I only visited her in jail because I knew Mother would not be there plus I was hoping to help her change. I tried to talk her into going to a treatment facility. She just wanted money to bail her out and to buy drugs. I didn’t have any money to give so she got angry, blamed me for everything bad in his life and ended the visit. A couple of years later when I read about her passing away there was no way of saving her. I felt guilty for her life turning out the way it did.” The blue-eyed girl looked like she was about to speak and the brunette sensing what the blue-eyed girl was going to say so before she had a chance she finished quickly “I know Mother is the one to blame.” They both turn their attention to their food neither one speaking again. 

“We’ve been on the road for about eight hours today want to try to drive another four before we stop for the night?” Nicole asked after they had paid for their meals.

“Sounds good, we can split the last four hours of the drive, I’ll drive first.” 

Nicole nodded and headed towards the bathroom. Waverly blew out a breath they had started to talk. Once back on the road Waverly found she wanted to talk, she decided to start talking while she drove. “I went to Texas a girl I met offered me a ride.” Nicole turned towards her “Why did you buy the bus tickets?” 

“How did you know I bought bus tickets?”

“My mom found out.” Waverly was curious how Christine had found out about the tickets but decided not to ask right then. Knowing that it was her turn to talk and Nicole would share her side if she wanted. “Not sure where I was going, I bought two tickets hoping that if anyone was trying to find me it would make it harder. I was sitting at the bus station trying to decide which bus to take when the girl who gave me a ride Jessica was dropping her friend off at the bus station before heading home to Texas. We started talking and when I told her I was just wanting to go somewhere new she offered to give me a ride to anywhere between there and Texas. She didn’t ask a lot of questions so I threw the tickets away and hitched a ride with her.” 

They drove for another four hours Waverly did the majority of the talking. She explained how she had enough money to rent a studio apartment. Quickly found a job working at night in a warehouse it paid little but enough for her to live. Got her GED, enrolled into a community college before transferring to the university to finish out her degree, working at night and going to school during the day. After a while Waverly ran out of things to talk about, so she suggested they stop for a hotel. Nicole nodding yes was the first response she gave in the last four hours. After asking about the tickets Nicole hadn’t said another word or even acknowledged that Waverly as they pulled into the hotel parking lot she asked “Why didn’t you trust me?”

Waverly feared this question was going to come up, the whole time she talked she only focused on the time after she had already left, never bringing up why she left. Having for ten years believed that Nicole had betrayed her and told Chrissy to finding out actually her sister betrayed her she didn’t know what to say so all she said “I don’t know.”

“That’s not good enough, I never told! Not anyone. As a little girl I kept your secret, I wanted so many times to tell my mom, knowing that she would help you but I didn’t tell because you asked me not too. I planned to follow you across the country and you believed Chrissy of all people without even asking me.” Nicole continued on getting louder with each word until she was practically yelling. “You didn’t even give me a chance, instead you took her word and left. For ten years I didn’t know what happened. If you were alive or dead, and I sure as hell didn’t understand what I had done to cause you to leave and never contact me again.” Nicole took a deep breath, Waverly wanted to say something but didn’t know what to say, about to say how sorry she was when Nicole started to speak again, this time barely above a whisper “Come to find out that I didn’t do anything you believed that bitch Chrissy over me. You broke my heart over something that bitch said, I’ll never forgive you for that.” Nicole got out of the car walking in to the hotel lobby without another word. 

Waverly wiped away the tears filling her eyes, wishing above anything else to be able to go back in time and change how she reacted. She slowly got out of the car and walking into the hotel lobby as Nicole stormed out. 

“Is everything okay?”

“No.” came the angry response “they only have one room, and it only has a king size bed in it.” 

“We can try to find another hotel.”

“The clerk said that they are all full due to some convention going on. We will manage, but I’m done talking. I only want to go to sleep.”

They carried their bags into the room decorated like any other hotel room in the county a single picture of a flower bolted to the wall above the bed, a tv, desk and chair, and in the center of the room the single king sized bed. Nicole threw her bag down, grabbed her hygiene bag and head to the bathroom “I’m going to take a shower.”

Waverly nodded as she herself started to get situated for the night. When Nicole came out of the bathroom, the blonde entered to take her shower. While in the shower Waverly finally let the tears she had been refusing to let fall roll down her face. She didn’t know if she was crying because of the hurt look in Nicole’s eyes, or the loss of what life could have been like had she given her a chance to explain. When Waverly walked out of the bathroom the blue-eyed girl was already in bed her back turned to Waverly but she could tell that Nicole was already asleep watching her even breathing. Climbed into bed and faced Nicole struck by the fact that when normally she would be anxious about sleeping in the same bed with another person this felt like home. Even though so many years had passed since they had last shared a bed she fell asleep for the first time in a long time feeling safe. 

A few hours later Waverly jerked awake when she felt an arm reaching around her and pulling her into a warm body. She started to panic when she remembered that she was in bed with Nicole, instantly her body relaxed and she started to doze off when she jerked wide awake when she realized that it was Nicole who was snuggled up to her back with an arm protectively around her waist. She couldn’t believe how normal it felt to be back in Nicole’s arms, feeling her against her body, how safe she felt. She also knew that Nicole would be upset if she woke up and found that she had snuggled up to the green eyed brunette in her sleep. Waverly waited a few seconds enjoying the feeling and safety she felt in Nicole’s arms before slowly sliding out of bed she was trying to figure out how to get Nicole on her side of the bed without waking up the blue eyed girl when suddenly those blue eyes snapped open. She watched as a range of emotions played through Nicole’s eyes, sleepiness, confusion, and then desire. It was brief but Waverly recognized the look in Nicole’s eyes and the butterflies in her stomach kicked into high gear. “Sorry if I woke you I needed to use the restroom.” Coming up with an excuse so that Nicole wouldn’t think that Waverly was just standing there watching her sleep. She gave a soft smile, “it seems that while I was in the bathroom you took over my side of the bed.” Covering for the reason that Nicole was on her side of the bed, knowing that the red head would be upset if she knew that she had been holding Waverly. 

Nicole gave a small laugh, “guess I’m not use to sharing the bed with anyone.” Waverly wanted to ask when was the last time Nicole had shared her bed, recognizing the jealousy she felt at the thought but also knew it wasn’t her place to ask such questions. Waverly climbed back in bed “it’s okay, you didn’t invade my side until I was in the bathroom, and you have been the perfect bed mate.” Nicole started to roll over when Waverly reached out placing her hand on the red head’s arm speaking softly “Nicole I am so sorry for the choices I made ten years ago, if I could go back and do them differently I would. We both know I can’t and I don’t have the right to ask but I’m going to, do you think someday you could forgive me and we could maybe be friends again. 

Nicole didn’t say anything for a long time and just as Waverly was about to remove her hand she said “Maybe someday I can forgive you and we can be friends, but right now tonight I am too hurt and angry.” Both women turn over but neither slept for the rest of the night.


	15. Chapter 15

They made it back to the office Saturday evening after dropping Tony off with his grandma. They hadn’t talked about anything serious after picking up the boy. Now they were back at the office and Nicole needed to let Waverly go. “I’m no longer mad at you it takes up too much energy to remain mad.” Waverly started to speak, but the blue-eyed girl continued before she said anything “That being said, I’m letting you go finally. For ten years I have continued to love you and question what I had done wrong due to this I have never let anyone close. I don’t forgive you and maybe someday I will be able to. You destroyed my heart from now on we are co-workers and nothing more.” She got out of the car without another word grabbing her bag and going to her car before the green-eyed girl said anything. She needed to be away from Waverly letting her go was the hardest thing Nicole had ever done. 

The first thing she did when she got home was a long hot shower and then poured a full glass of wine. She plopped down on the couch taking a long sip of the wine, closing her eyes and letting her body relax for the first time in a week. The trip to Texas had been emotionally exhausting. Battling so many conflicting feelings left her drained and raw. The trip back they were able to get a hotel room with two beds but since they had Tony they ended up sharing a bed again. Nicole had woken up to in the middle of the night when she heard someone whimpering. Assuming it was Tony she was surprised to find that it was Waverly, she reached to wake her when Waverly grabbed her hand and snuggled into her. Nicole was surprised how natural it felt to have Waverly back in her arms, it was like no time had passed at all. She closed her eyes deciding to hold Waverly for a few minutes hoping it would calm the brunette while she slept. She was surprised when she woke up the next time and it was daylight outside and Nicole was holding Waverly even tighter. She slid out of bed not wanting the brunette to wake up and realize that Nicole was holding her. As soon as she was up she instantly missed the feeling of Waverly in her arms. Her work phone rang just as she was about to take another sip “No” she thought “I’m not on call.” She considered ignoring the ringing phone until she looked at the caller ID and saw Kelly calling. 

“Hey Kelly, what’s up?”

“Hey, sorry to bother you when you just got back into town but I wanted to tell you that Chelsea just had me drop Casey off at her permanent placement.”

Nicole sat up hearing the upset sound in Kelly’s voice, placing the forgotten wine on the table, “What?! I asked her to wait until Monday so I could be there.”

“I told her I could keep her until Monday since I’m not flying out until Wednesday. Anyway that’s not important now. I’m calling because I dropped her off with Chelsea and Casey was crying and asking for you. They are placing her in a home with a wife and husband along with two older male children. She is scared to death, when I hugged her good-bye, she was shaking.”

“What is the address?” Nicole put on her shoes and jotted down the address.

“Again I’m sorry to bother you.”

“No Kelly.” Nicole stopped her before she apologized anymore “You never bother me. Thank you for calling. I’ll talk to you soon.” 

Nicole entered the address in her GPS Casey’s new placement was only twenty minutes from her home. She dialed Chelsea’s number hoping to catch her there. When the phone went to voicemail she left a brief message and pressed down a little harder on the gas pedal. 

Nicole pulled into the driveway relieved to see Chelsea’s car still there. She walked into the house not bothering to knock in all the commotion she entered the room unseen by anyone. As soon as she laid eyes on the little blonde her heart broke and the intense urge to protect the little girl filled her. Casey sitting on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her legs. She appeared to be trying to make herself as small as possible her tears she had cried now dried to her face leaving little tracks down her small cheeks. She was staring straight ahead what little light that had returned to her eyes the past few weeks now gone. All the adults were standing over her, talking at her, and demanding that she speak, move or do something. The two older boys that Kelly had told her about where sitting across the room smirking and pointing at her whispering to one another she overheard one of them say “maybe she’s retarded.” She no longer able to hold back the urge to protect the tiny brunette “Get Out Everyone!” she said louder and harsher than she meant but not caring. 

Everyone turned startled by the new voice in the room, “Oh Nicole, I’m glad you are here, we cannot figure out what is wrong with her.” Chelsea said walking up to Nicole who saw the surprise in her face. She forced herself to hold back the angry retort on her lips.  
“Please everyone get out.” Nicole said controlling her anger. 

Chelsea nodded and everyone left the room, leaving the blue-eyed girl and the little brunette alone. The sudden silence in the room was a huge relief. Nicole walked over to the little girl and sat down next to her, making sure not to touch her “Casey I’m so sorry I wasn’t here, I’m here now and I promise I won’t leave until you are ready.” They sat together for several minutes when Casey moved, she crawled into Nicole’s lap, and laid her head on her chest, stuck her thumb in her mouth, and went to sleep. Thinking about the sad vacant look in the tiny girls eyes reminded her again of Waverly. Her eyes filled with tears, she did not know what was going to happened in the future but she knew that today she would not be returning home tonight without the tiny brunette. 

20 years ago: age 7  
Nicole couldn’t stop thinking about the green-eyed girl that she met a week ago sitting on the tree. She wanted to help Waverly but didn’t know how. She had returned to the tree whenever she could sometimes multiple times a day hoping to run into her again. She had even went to the girls home one afternoon but quickly left the sounds of smashing glass and screaming scaring her away. She was sitting on the tree reading her book when she heard footsteps approaching from the path she looked up just as Waverly was coming around the bend. The brunette stopped and stared at Nicole who noticed the sad vacant look in her eyes. The bruises from their first meeting had faded and was barely noticeable. It didn’t appear that she had any new bruises but the look in her eyes told Nicole that something worst had happened. 

After several seconds when Waverly looked like she was about to turn and walk away Nicole spoke “Please don’t go” Waverly considered this for what felt like forever before slowly walking down the path and climbing up on the tree. The two girls set in silence for a while Nicole going back to reading her book sneaking glances at the girl sitting next to her. She wanted to make the sad look disappear from the brunette’s eyes. When she noticed Waverly looking at her book she asked “Do you like to read?” Waverly nodded “Have you ever read any Nancy Drew books?” The brunette shook her head no. “I can read to you if you like.” Nicole said fighting the silly feeling she was feeling, she wasn’t use to reading out loud but she wanted to do something to make the blonde forget whatever was causing the sad look in her eyes. The blonde just nodded so Nicole began to read out loud.   
It wasn’t until Nicole had finished the 3rd chapter that Waverly finally spoke “I probably should be going, Mother doesn’t know I left and will be furious if she’s looking for me and can’t find me.” Nicole set her book down wishing there was something she could do so that Waverly didn’t have to return home “Will you meet me here again tomorrow?” The sad look was still in Waverly’s eyes and she fought the urge to reach out and hug the brunette. Waverly nodded “If I can get out of the house I will meet you here, thank you for reading I really enjoyed it.” When she turned to walk up the path Nicole called out to her “Hey Waverly, here take it I’ve already read it multiple times” holding the book out to Waverly. The brunette reached out and took the book, a tiny smile that caused Nicole’s heart to beat a little faster spread across the other girl’s face softly she said “Thank you.”  
Nicole watch Waverly walk back up the path still staring down the path long after the girl was gone thinking about the sad look in her eyes and the brief smile that Waverly shared and decided that she was going to try to make the blonde smile more often. 

The blue-eyed girl’s back was aching but she didn’t move holding the tiny brunette a little tighter she continued to think of Waverly. After that second day of meeting at the tree it became almost a daily thing for the rest of the summer. Nicole spent the rest of that summer attempting to chase the sad look out of Waverly’s eyes in fact she had spent the next ten years attempting that only for her to just leave me Nicole thought as the hurt began to take over. Not wanting to have to battle those emotions along with the ones she was feeling for Casey who was sleeping peacefully in her arms she shook her head and put Waverly out of her mind. 

When Chelsea entered the room she put her finger to her mouth so that Chelsea wouldn’t wake the little girl, standing up she laid the sleeping child on the couch, and followed Chelsea out of the room. Once in the kitchen Chelsea spoke “Thank you for coming over and calming her down.” “What do you mean calming her down!!?” “I didn’t calm her down, she was scared and you all were talking at her and demanding a response from a terrified three year old. You wanted her to adjust at your speed, instead of allowing her the chance to feel secure and adjust at her speed. I sat next to her, I let her know that I was here and wasn’t going anywhere, and I made her feel secured.” Nicole stopped talking before she said too much, she noticed the guy was getting defensive, the lady was near tears and flustered, and Chelsea looked guilty and angry. So she took a deep breath, calmed herself before speaking again “I will take Casey home with me tonight.” She saw the surprise in all their faces including Chelsea “Uh Nicole, can I talk to you in private for a moment.” They walked outside “Nicole what are you doing that’s not protocol.”

“Damn it Chelsea!” Nicole interrupted “Why didn’t you wait until Monday to move her?”

“I was going to but I have to be in court Monday and Dolls wanted it done. She had already been with Kelly too long and he was worried about her growing attached to Kelly. Although it appears to seem that she is attached to you, why is she attached to you?”

Nicole ignored the question taking another deep breath it wasn’t Chelsea’s fault that Casey’s placement changed happened today the girl had been with Kelly who is a temporary placement longer than normal. “Chelsea, why didn’t you call me?”

“Why would I call you, she’s not on your case load? Nicole what is going on?”

“No, she’s not on my case load but I was there when we removed her from her home.” 

“A lot of kids we remove from their homes get placed on someone else’s caseload it’s not protocol here to follow up with every kid you remove.” Chelsea was looking at her as if she lost her mind. Nicole thought maybe she had lost her mind, getting attached to Casey and announcing that she would take the little girl home. She didn’t have the first clue on how to take care of a child full time. She started to tell Chelsea never mine, but she remembered the terrified sad expression in the little girls eyes so instead she said “Chelsea it doesn’t matter how or why the little girl is attached to me. It’s in her best interested to be with someone she trusts and feels secure with, so I will take her home tonight.”

“That’s not protocol Nicole.”

Nicole interrupted her “Screw protocol, that little girl is not protocol she is a child. Chelsea I understand you were doing what Dolls instructed you to do but this situation is different.” Nicole pulled out her cell phone. “Nicole if you leave here with Casey I will have to report you to Dolls.” Nicole nodded as she hit send on the call and placed the phone to her ear. “Hey Dolls, this is Nicole sorry to bother you.” She noticed the surprised look on Chelsea’s face and continued talking to Dolls. 

“Nicole that is not how we do things here, there are protocols for a reason. It’s to protect everyone.”

“How are we protecting that child by dumping her with strangers and leaving her terrified? Also who thought it would be a good idea to place her in a house where there are multiple males.”

“They are one of our best foster families.”

Nicole took a deep breath “I’m sure they are, but this child was tortured by the one man she was supposed to be able to trust above anyone else. She needs to be in a home with only females for the time being. Give her time to heal. She knows and trusts me, let me take her home for the weekend and on Monday we can all meet and find a placement for her.” She handed the phone to Chelsea once she was able to convince Dolls to allow Casey to go home with her for the weekend.

On the way home Nicole panicked, she didn’t have the first clue about taking care of a child. Sure she had a lot of experience with kids but not like this. One glance in the rear-view mirror seeing the sleepy child looking back at her she relaxed. She pulled into her drive and carried the child into the house flipping on the light she put the tiny girl down. “Casey this is my home, you will stay here for a couple of nights. Okay?” The little girl looked up at her with wide eyes after a few moments she gave a little nod. Nicole ruffled the brunette curls on top of her head and said “follow me.” She walked the tiny girl through her home showing her every room. It wasn’t until she flipped on the bathroom light she realized how little about the tiny girl she knew, like whether she was potty trained. She decided after she got Casey settled in for the night she would give Kelly a call. Looking in Casey’s bag she smiled when she saw the bear Waverly had given her and the little singing dog she bought the girl on her first visit. Both had signs of wear told her they were well loved. She pulled them out of her bag and offered the bear and dog to the tiny blonde who grabbed them and held both tight. 

“Okay, we are going to get dressed for bed” Nicole said while pulling out two different sets of pajamas also noticing that there were night time pull ups in the bag. “Do you want to pick your pajamas?” The tiny girl nodded and pointed to the pajamas with the butterflies on them. Nicole smiled “That’s a good choice.” After getting her ready for bed she made up a bed on the couch tucking the little girl in “You remember where my room is?” The little girl nodded again, Nicole wondered how long it was going to take to get her to speak again. When she first got placed with Kelly she didn’t speak at all it wasn’t until about 2 weeks ago that she started to speak. Nicole hoped it wouldn’t take long she loved the sound of the tiny girl’s voice. “If you need anything, come get me okay?” Casey nodded. 

Nicole walked into her room keeping the hall light on and her door open. She picked up her phone to call Kelly noticing how late it was she sent her a text instead “Quick update – Casey is home with me until Monday, I have a few questions so if you have time tomorrow can you call me. Thanks again for calling about Casey. Talk to you soon.” Her phone was ringing before she set it down “Hello Kelly” she said answering it with a small smile. “Hi Nicole, I’m so happy that she is with you I’ve been worried about her.”

“Well it’s until Monday when we will find a new placement for her although I have a few questions. I realized tonight I don’t know anything specific about her. Like is she potty trained, what foods does she like not like, and is she on any medication?”

“She is mostly potty trained during the day, she wears a pull up at night which she should have a few in her bag.” 

“Yea, I found those and put one on her.”

“Great. During the day she will go to in the toilet unless she is scared. She hasn’t been picky about food, the poor thing eats her food like she’s not going to get another meal again.”

“That’s probably because she wasn’t fed consistently.”

“Yea, she’s not on any medication. If you want I can meet your for lunch tomorrow to go over anything else.”

“That would be great but I don’t want to ruin your Saturday.”

“Lunch with you and Casey would never ruin my day, let’s meet at the little restaurant with a play place that way she can play and we can talk.”  
“Sounds good, want to meet at 11:00?”

“That would be perfect, looking forward to it.”

“Me too.” Nicole hung up the phone turned off the light and laid down when she heard tiny footsteps coming down the hall. Casey stopped in her doorway, big eyed clutching the toy dog and bear. The sight melted Nicole’s heart “are you okay?” she said softly turning the bedside light back on. The little girl shook her head and a tear slowly slid down her face. She raised the blankets “come on you can sleep in here tonight” the tiny brunette hurried across the room, climbed up in bed, and snuggled under the covers. Nicole reached over and turned the light out she settled back down. She smiled when Casey snuggled up to her and was sound asleep in the matter of seconds. The blue-eyed girl stared down at the sleeping child noticing the bruises were gone. Nicole knew that it was the inner bruises that took the longest and were the hardest to heal. Long after the physical bruises had faded and disappeared the ones you couldn’t see the emotional bruises remained. Lying in bed holding the tiny child she wasn’t surprised when her thoughts went back to Waverly. Waverly has been free from her abusive mother and physical bruises for ten years but when Nicole looked into her green eyes she could still see the emotional bruises there. She felt her heart letting go of some of the pain she had been carrying around since finding out why Waverly left. All her talk of just being co-workers and nothing more she knew that Waverly would always mean more to her than that and she would always be there if Waverly needed her. She just wasn’t ready to let Waverly know that yet.


	16. Chapter 16

Waverly arrived to work Monday morning glad to be back to a normal work routine. She was going to respect Nicole’s wishes and not push but she wasn’t going to make the mistake again of just walking away. She wanted the blue-eyed girl in her life even if it meant just being co-workers, she hoped over time she could show her how sorry she was and they could maybe be friends again. Waverly was walking through the office heading to her cubicle while balancing a large stack of files, her lunch, and coffee causing her not to see the tiny person darting around the corner. She stumbled trying to avoid colliding with the tiny person, while dropping everything except her hot coffee, the tiny person bounced off her leg and fell back on her bottom. She knelt down to see if the child was okay and was surprised to see big blue eyes and curly brunette hair starring back at her. The child blinked jumped up and ran back around the corner. Waverly recognized the child but couldn’t place where she knew her from. So she just assumed she had seen the child around the office before. When parents had supervised visits with their children it was common to have them at the office. While gathering her things it hit her who the blue-eyed child was, curious as to why Casey was in the office since her father was in jail she wouldn’t be here for a visit. She went to her cubicle to put all her things down and then decided to go seek out the little brunette and ask Chelsea how she was doing. She was surprised when she got to Chelsea’s cubicle and she wasn’t at work yet. Now more than curious she searched out the child wanting to know why she was here and who she was with. 

She found the tiny girl sitting on Nicole’s lap with her head on her shoulder as the older woman talked on the phone. Not wanting to interrupt the phone call she stood quietly just watching. Remembering the tiny blonde when they first met she looked like a different kid. The bruises, black eyes, swollen face were all gone but the biggest difference was the trust and light in the little girl’s eyes. The little girl just looked at Waverly not moving, the older brunette smiled as the tiny girl continued to star at Waverly. She waved a tiny wave at Casey and after a few seconds Casey raised her hand and gave a small wave back. 

Nicole hung up the phone and spun in her chair holding Casey with a huge smile on her face, Spencer’s breath caught in her throat, she was lost staring at Nicole not helping thinking she had never been more beautiful. Nicole noticed Spencer in mid spin jumping slightly, while trying to stop the chair from spinning. She held on to Casey a little tighter so she didn’t drop her. Waverly laughed hoping to cover the fact that she was staring at Nicole “Well somethings never change, you’ve always been easy to startle.” Nicole set Casey on the floor handing her a pile of toys from a bag under her desk, Waverly curiosity got the better of her so she said “I didn’t know she got moved to your caseload.” 

“She didn’t, she was moved to a new placement on Friday and it didn’t work out so she spent the weekend with me.”

Waverly was surprised by this, but didn’t feel like she could pry any farther so instead she asked “Exactly how old is she, she seems younger than I thought?”  
“She had just turned three right after we removed her.”

“She is beautiful.” Waverly didn’t miss the smile that crossed the blue-eyed girls face or how the woman’s hand instinctively rubbed her tiny head in a protective manner “Yes, yes she is.” 

Waverly stood there wanting to talk to Nicole, wanting to share the light banter that they shared as kids, knowing that wasn’t an option she sighed. “Well let me know if you need any help finding a placement for Casey.” Nicole phone rang, so Nicole just nodded while turning to answer the phone making sure she had one eye on Casey. Waverly watched her for a few more seconds before turning to go to her cubicle, knowing she had a ton of work today. 

An hour later Waverly sat at her desk having accomplished nothing, she made it through one email before her mind wondered back to Nicole and the tiny little brunette. Her phone rang bringing her back to work, she didn’t recognize the number assuming it was an anonymous report she grabbed the forms and a pen before answering. 

“Department of Child Services, This is Waverly Earp speaking how may I help you?” there was no response on the other end although she could hear a sharp intake of breath as soon as she quit speaking. 

“Hello?” She asked again, softer this time in case it was a child to afraid to speak. After another long pause someone finally spoke “Waverly, is it really you?” The deep voice she would recognize anywhere froze her. Not wanting to show any emotion or let it be known that she knew who it was she fell back into her professional personality “Yes, this is Waverly. How may I help you?” She heard the soft sob on the other end of the phone “Waverly it’s your dad.” She closed her eyes, she couldn’t figure out what feeling was most dominate at the moment, she had always had mix feelings towards her dad. She knew he had loved her, he had tried his best. Every time he went to a lawyer to seek a divorce he was told that the kids would go to the mom, no judge would give custody of two young children especially two girls to a single father. She was still angry at him, angry that he didn’t just take them and leave. When they were young he had tried so hard to help Mother, to protect them from her. As the years went on he seemed to just give up, he spent more time at work then at home, leaving Waverly and Wynonna to fend for themselves and that was the part that she couldn’t forgive.

15 years old  
“Fuck, fuck, fuck” Waverly repeated over and over as she walked home as fast as she could. She lost track of time in the library studying. The library had become her sanctuary, the only other place she could go besides Nicole’s that she could study and lose herself. Not have to worry about Mother reaching her. She had been engrossed in her Chemistry homework, studying for her exam. She probably studying more that any human alive, determine to get a 4.0gpa, knowing she needed it if she planned on getting a full scholarship to college her ticket out of here. She hadn’t realized how long she had been there and was surprised when the librarian came to her table to let her know the library would be closing. Waverly was an hour late pass her curfew she quickly collected all her things and ran out of the library. She kept reminding herself that her dad should be home. A few days ago, he came home from working late again which he did most nights to Waverly sporting a new bruise. He cried and apologized for not being there to protect her. Waverly told him it was okay, that she understood, even though she didn’t. She didn’t understand why he didn’t just take them and leave. As she turn the corner to their street she slowed down, his car wasn’t there, which meant he wasn’t there. She was going to be left alone to face Mother again. She stopped outside the house considering not even going in. She knew that she could go to Nicole’s house and stay. “Fuck” she said louder this time still debating on what to do when the door was suddenly flung open and there stood her Mother, drink in hand, eye’s blood shot, with nothing but hate and anger in her expression “Where the fuck have you been?”

Waverly immediately look at her feet knowing that her mother would take it as a challenge if she looked her in the eyes “I was at the library studying for a Chemistry exam.” Her mother snarled at her “You think you are so smart? Let’s see how smart you really are.” She opened the door wider so that Waverly could enter. Waverly hesitated for half a second considering turning and running in the other direction. Her mother must have read her mind because she suddenly grabbed a fist full of Waverly hair and roughly pulled her into the house. 

Leading her to the bathroom she threw her in, Waverly stumbled barely catching herself on the tub before she crashed head first into it. She started digging under the sink and in cabinets when she pulled out a bottle of Rubbing Alcohol and a bottle of Bleach Waverly started to panic. 

“I’m sorry Mother, it won’t happen ag” her words were cut off when her mother suddenly smacked her across the face causing her to fall into the wall “Shut up you little bitch, I don’t want to hear your useless apologies. You are nothing and will never be anything. Now let’s give you a real Chemistry lesson.”

Waverly watch as her Mother poured the entire bottle of bleach into a bucket then added the entire bottle of rubbing alcohol. The fumes instantly making Waverly’s eyes water and lungs burn, she watch in horror as her mother smiled at her while closing the bathroom door. Leaving her in the small space with no window or ventilation Waverly struggled to remain calm knowing panicking wouldn’t help. She slowly took in a breath the fumes burning her lungs even more. She prayed that her dad would come home, that he would walk in and find her. She was getting light headed, finding it harder and harder to breath. She slowly slid down the wall as far away from the bucket as she could get, putting her thin t-shirt over her nose and mouth the faint feeling getting stronger. She willed herself to stay conscious afraid of what mother would to do to her if she was unconscious, willing her dad to come home. She was not able to control either, she felt a sudden urge of anger and hate the only difference she realized was that it wasn’t her Mother she was angry at it was her dad for not being there to protect her as her world went black. 

“Waverly, are you still there?” The sounds of her dad’s voice pulling her from the memory the feeling of anger and hate that she felt that day swelling inside her she blinked stopping the tears that Waverly felt threatening to fall from falling.

“What do you want? How did you find me?” Waverly said harshly allowing the anger and hatred to be heard in her voice. She heard her dad take a deep breath before speaking “I need to speak with you, will you please meet me for coffee?” She was taken back by his request she hadn’t spoken to or heard from her dad in over 10 years, not since the day she left home. Needing to know how he found her she repeated her first question “How did you find me?”

“I’ve always known where you were.” He said quietly. She was shocked by this but before she could respond he continued on “Well that’s not true, I didn’t know for the first 4 years or so after you left. I looked everywhere but you had just vanished. Then one day I was on a business trip and I pick up the city paper and to my surprise there was your picture, you were being honored for graduating from the university with honors and your volunteer work. I couldn’t believe it, I must have stared at the picture for hours.” He was quiet for so long that Waverly almost spoke when he said quietly “I was there.” Not knowing what he was referring to she said “What? You were where?” 

“Your graduation, I was there. The date and time of your college graduation was in the article. I went with the plan to surprise you, to let you know I was there, I was so proud but watching you up on the stage giving your speech. Seeing how well you did without any help or support from me I knew you didn’t need me and I didn’t want to ruin your day. So I left before the end of the graduation I was, no I am so proud of you Waverly.” 

“So what you’ve just been keeping track of me and not saying anything?” Waverly didn’t know what to think or feel.

“Yes. Waverly I have so much to tell you, so much to explain, and even more to apologize for. Will you please meet me for coffee?” The sound of her dad’s voice breaking almost had her saying yes but she was just too shocked. 

“I don’t know, I need time to think.”

“That’s fair” Her dad gave her his number, she promised to call him no matter what she decided to let him know one way or the other. “I love you Waverly.” He said softly before disconnecting the call. 

She slowly put the phone down, shock giving away to a feeling of being overwhelmed. She was starting to feel claustrophobic just like the day in the bathroom. She pulled out the neck of her shirt trying to not feel so restrained. It didn’t help, she needed to get out of here, and she needed to talk. She jumped up and instantly found herself standing at Nicole’s cubicle. This time Nicole heard her approached and turned around to face her. Waverly noticed that she had made a pallet on the floor for Casey who was now laying on the floor asleep. Nicole studied her for a minute before asking “Is everything okay?” 

Waverly realizing that she couldn’t go to Nicole anymore, Nicole had made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with her unless it was work related she cleared her throat, shaking her head no before saying “I’m fine, I just wanted to let you know that we have extra pack and play in the supply closet if you want to get one for her.” Her voice sounded strained to her, and the look in Nicole’s eyes, told her that Nicole had heard it to. She turn and walked away before she broke down in front of Nicole. It was so easy to turn to her, to crave the comfort and protection she always felt when near her. Instead she walked to Rosita cubicle. Rosita was just ending a call “Hey Waverly what’s going on.”

“I need to talk, can you go to lunch with me. Please Rosie.” Waverly knew she sounded desperate but she was on the verge of losing all self-control and needed to get out of the office. Rosita must have seen the panicked look in her face because she instantly turned her voicemail on and stood up. “Let’s go.”

They walked out of the building into the chilly air it was a week before Thanksgiving and although it was warmer than usual it was still chilly. Waverly took a couple deep breaths, closing her eyes and facing the sun. The feeling of claustrophobia instantly decreased, Rosita stood quietly sensing that Waverly must need this quiet time. Waverly finally opened her eyes looking at Rosie “Can we walk or are you hungry?”

“We can walk” They started off down the street heading toward a walking path that was out of the way and usually quiet. After several minutes Rosita finally asked “So what happened back there?”

Waverly looked at her knowing that she would have to explain more of her past for her sudden panic attack to make sense. “I received a call from my dad.” Rosita looked at her expecting her to say more, when she didn’t she tried guessing “and he had bad news of some kind?” Waverly shook her head “No, it’s just that well I haven’t talk to my dad in 10 years.” Rosita did the math quickly, so you haven’t talked to him since you were 17 did he walk out on you and your mom?”

Waverly sighed, “No, I ran away.” Waverly than told Rosita about her Mother, without going into details about the abuse and games her mother liked to play, how her father was never home and the anger towards him. Finally she told Rosita how Nicole played into it all, and how at 17 she made the biggest mistake of her life by listening to Chrissy”

Rosita was quiet so many question running through her mind but she knew now was not the time to ask Waverly questions. Waverly had finally opened up to her, let her in and all Rosita could think to do was reach out and pull her into a hug. She felt Waverly stiffen at first but then slowly wrapped her arms around Rosita as the quiet sobs shook her body. When Waverly started to pull out of Rosita embrace she was blushing, “I’m sorry”

“Don’t you dare apologize, you are my best friend. I always knew there was something you were keeping buried and I always want to be here for you.” Rosita lead Waverly to a nearby bench and they both sat down, lost in their own thoughts. Rosita finally asked a question “So your dad just found you out of the blue and called? What did he want?”

Waverly sighed “Apparently he has known where I’ve been for six years, he even attended my college graduation. He just didn’t think I would want to hear from him.”

“So why know?”

Waverly shook her head “I don’t know, he said he needs to talk to me and wants to meet for coffee. I told him I didn’t know if I wanted to or not.”

“I support whatever you decide to do but I think you should meet him. Let it be on your terms but you deserve that closure. No one is saying you have to continue to have a relationship with him after you meet and no one is saying you have to forgive him. You deserve an apology.”

Waverly nodded while standing up to start walking back to work. They walked back in silence just enjoying being outside before they went back into the building Rosita put her hand on Waverly arm stopping her. “Thank you for trusting me with this and I’m here for you.”

Waverly smiled and quickly hugged Rosita before entering the building.


End file.
